Madras HC stays single judge order to conduct elections to

The Madras High Court on Tuesday granted an interim stay on a single judge's order directing conduct of fresh elections for the South Indian Artists Association (SIAA), the apex body of film actors.

A division bench of Justices M Sathyanarayanan and Abdul Quddhose granted the interim injunction on an appeal by the association's former general secretary and actor Vishal against the single judge order.

The bench said the interim stay would be in respect of the directions issued by the single judge on the issuance of fresh notification and conduct of polls again for the office bearers of the Executive Committee.

Justice K Kalyanasundaram had on January 24 declared as null and voidthe elections held to the apex body of actors in June last year while holding that they were conducted without following rules and ordered fresh election.

In his appeal, Vishal said the impugned order has been passed on the wrong premise that all actions carried out by the duly elected office bearers and executive committee of the association after the end of their three-year term were null and void.

He further submitted that during the Annual General Body meeting held on August 19, 2018, it was unanimously approved that the present office bearers continue for another 6 months and conduct the election after that since the construction activity of the association building was at a crucial stage.

Recording the submissions, the court granted the interim stay in respect of the directions of the Single Judge.