Chennai: The Madras High court on Thursday admitted
a petition by MDMK General Secretary Vaiko challenging an
order of a tribunal confirming ban on LTTE.
A special tribunal headed by a Justice Vikramjit Sen of
the Delhi High Court had on November 12 last had upheld the
Centre's decision to extend ban on Liberation Tigers of Tamil
Eelam (LTTE) for another two years saying the organisation
continued to be a threat to the security of the country.
Seeking to quash the order of the tribunal, Vaiko and
'Prisoners Rights Forum', a group fighting for the rights of
Lankan Tamils, had filed two writ petitions before the Court.
Vaiko said the tribunal passed the order without allowing
him to peruse the materials put forth by the prosecution and
no one was arrested so far under the 10 a(1) of the Prevention
of Unlawful Activities Act.
The Union Home Ministry had on January 27 told the court
that Vaiko was not an aggrieved person to challenge the
tribunal's order and the MDMK leader had no locus standi to
appear before the tribunal or to seek intervention.
Unless the petitioner proved with supporting evidence to
demonstrate that he was an aggrieved person, his writ petition
was not maintainable, the Home Ministry had contended.
When the matter came up for hearing before the division
comprising Chief Justice M Y Eqbal and Justice T S Sivagnanam
today, Vaiko, who made his submission as party in person,
submitted that though he was not an aggrieved person, he could
also approach the court.
The court adjourned the matter for further hearing to
April 25.
PTI
First Published: Friday, February 11, 2011, 00:20