At late night hearing, Madras HC permits DMK to hold anti-CAA rally in Chennai on Dec 23

At a late-night hearing on Sunday, the Madras High Court granted permission to an anti-CAA rally of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) to be held in Chennai on Monday.

Speaking to reporters after the order, DMK president MK Stalin claimed that the high court allowed the party to hold the rally.

"Ruling party tried to stop the DMK led rally against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), scheduled for tomorrow. However, the court has given us permission. It is a huge victory for us. We will take out our rally abiding by the law," said Stalin.

A special sitting of the court was conducted on a plea seeking to restrain the DMK and its allies to hold the rally on grounds that violence was reported in such rallies in Assam and Uttar Pradesh.

Justices S Vaidyanathan and PT Asha passed the order.

The DMK's rally has the support of its allies including Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and actor Kamal Haasan's Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) and other parties.

The rally was announced by Stalin after meeting leaders of allies earlier this week.

The rally will add to the swelling nationwide protests, which turned violent at several places, against the CAA which grants citizenship to Hindu refugees of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, who arrived in India until December 31, 2014.