CHENNAI: Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Monday appointed A Kulasekaran, retired judge of the Madras High Court, as the head of the Commission that would carry out a caste-wise enumeration across the State. The Commission would come into force with immediate effect. This comes in the wake of Palaniswami’s December 1 announcement in this regard.
In a statement here, the chief minister said that the Commission would arrive at the methodologies for collecting the caste-wise data, after which, it would submit a report. He added, the AIADMK government, that has been treading the path of social justice as shown by former CM J Jayalalithaa, would continue to take all steps to establish the same. The State arrived at a decision to form such a Commission, said Palaniswami, taking into consideration the demands raised by various parties and organisations for a caste-wise census in Tamil Nadu.
Besides, the caste-wise data is also required to conduct the case regarding the 69 per cent reservation for Tamil Nadu, pending before the Supreme Court.Justice Kulasekaran was a judge at the Madras High Court from 2001 to 2009. A month ago, the State appointed him as the Chairman of PT Lee Chengalvaraya Naicker Trust for a period of three years. He was appointed in consultation with the Tamil Nadu Vanniyakula Kshatriya Public Charitable Trusts and Endowments Board.
Meanwhile, P John Pandian, president of the Tamil Nadu Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam called on the chief minister at the Secretariat, and thanked him for accepting the long-time demand to collectively call the seven sects as Devendrakula Vellalas.
Speaking to reporters, Pandiyan said, “The CM has fulfilled the 40-year-old demand of our community and we will not forget this gesture. After the Central government issues an appropriate order in this regard, we will organise a felicitation function to honour the chief minister at Tirunelveli.”