HC admits PIL for live telecast of TN assembly proceedings

Admitting the PIL petition, a Division Bench comprising Justices D Murugesan and K K Sasidharan directed a government pleader to take notice on behalf of the Under Secretary of the Assembly, who had been made a respondent.

It said the objections raised by Advocate General A Navaneethakrishnan that the petition was not maintainable could be considered after the counter affidavit was filed.

The AG had claimed that the PIL petition of the state President of Lok Satta Party D Jagadheeswaran was not maintainable as it had been filed by a political party.

He also contended that the court could not order that the entire proceedings of the assembly be telecast as it was the prerogative of the Assembly Speaker, who acted through the Secretary of the Assembly.

'In our opinion, the petition cannot be thrown out on the above grounds at this stage as the questions raised by the AG can be considered after filing of the counter," the Bench held.