New Delhi, Jan 08: Tamil Nadu government today questioned the Central Pota Review Committee's jurisdiction to look into cases against MDMK chief Vaiko and Nakkeeran weekly editor R R Gopal under the amended anti-terror law saying it encroached on judicial independence. "It would go against constitutional ethos to have an administrative body SIT in judgement over the order of a court of law," state government counsel C S Vaidyanathan told the three-member committee headed by Justice A B Saharya.

Outlining the state's preliminary objections to the committee's jurisdiction to "review" the cases, Vaidyanathan said, "Judicial freedom cannot be sacrificed at the altar of administrative action."
He was referring to the Pota case against Vaiko in which charges have already been framed by a Madurai court.

Bureau Report