DMK allowed to conduct Pongal meet on January 14
The judge said it was not in dispute that the petitioner has been permitted to have the meeting in all the previous years.
Chennai: The Madras high court has directed the Royapettah police to grant permission to DMK to hold Pongal festival meeting for three hours from 6 pm on January 14 at the junction between Lloyds road and Venkatachala Mudaliar Street in the city, subject to the other conditions that can be imposed.
Justice M. M. Sundresh gave the directive while allowing a petition from R N Durai, deputy secretary, Chennai District (West), DMK.
Senior counsel P. Wilson, appearing for the petitioner contended that the function had been conducted in the same place for number of years and that the petitioner was not going to have the function for the entire day. The function has been arranged only as a celebration for Pongal festival, he added.
Opposing the plea, additional government pleader P. Sanjaigandhi submitted that the area was a highly congested place and therefore, there was likelihood of inconvenience that will be caused to the general public. Moreover,
there were two temples nearby and on account of Pongal, people will gather in large numbers in the temples. There was every chance of traffic congestion, he added.
The judge said it was not in dispute that the petitioner has been permitted to have the meeting in all the previous years. The petitioner wants to have the meeting only for a specific number of hours. The question of congestion can always be regulated. The object was celebration of Pongal festival. It was to be noted that despite existence of the temples, the earlier permissions have been granted over the years, the judge pointed out.
Similarly, allowing a petition from one Tamilarasu, the judge directed the Royapettah police to permit the petitioner to conduct Pongal festival programme for three hours from 6 pm on January 13 on V M Street in Royapettah.