MADURAI: A full bench of the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Tuesday directed the state government to maintain status quo regarding removal of permanent flagpoles erected by political parties in public places across Tamil Nadu.
The bench, which comprised justices S M Subramaniam, R Vijayakumar and S Sounthar, passed the order while hearing an appeal filed by the State Secretary of CPI(M) P Shanmugam opposing the removal of the party’s flagpoles based on an order passed by a single judge (Justice G K Ilanthiraiyan) in January prohibiting installation of permanent flagpoles in Tamil Nadu.
Senior counsel N G R Prasad, who represented Shanmugam, told the bench that the issue involves the rights of political parties, communal bodies or associations etc.
To ensure that an opportunity of hearing is provided to all political parties, communal and religious associations etc., before taking a final decision on the matter, the full bench therefore directed the chief secretary of TN to issue a public notification enabling the political parties, communal parties or associations etc., to file impleading petitions to get impleaded in the appeal.
The notification should be published in two English and two Tamil dailies that have wide circulation across the state, on or before July 25, the judges added. The impleading petitions should be filed on or before August 5, they further said, and adjourned the matter to August 6.
After Prasad expressed fear that existing flagpoles may be removed in the meantime to implement the single judge’s order, the judges ordered the government to maintain status quo until further orders.