Court allows Karunanidhi burial at Marina Beach: Updates

The court allowed the burial at the Marina Beach mausoleum complex after some of the PIL against the practice were withdrawn.

The body of DMK leader M Karunanidhi being brought to his residence in Chennai's Gopalapuram on Tuesday night. (Picture: PTI)

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has allowed the burial of DMK chief M Karunanidhi at the mausoleum complex on Chennai's Marina Beach. The court's ruling is the culmination of a battle between the DMK and the ruling AIADMK. The Tamil Nadu government had denied the DMK request that Karunanidhi be buried next to his mentor, CN Annadurai.

The Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday had denied the DMK's request that Karunanidhi be buried near Annadurai. It had instead offered a two-acre site close to the memorials to Congress chief ministers C Rajagopalachari, K Kamaraj and M Bhaktavatsalam.

The DMK had then approached the Madras High Court. Acting Chief Justice Huluvadi G Ramesh had held a late-night hearing around 10:30 pm on Tuesday, and asked the Tamil Nadu government to list out the reasons it had denied the request.

Activists who had earlier filed PILs against the burial of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa at the Marina site also told the court that they were prepared to withdraw their cases.

Karunanidhi's body is lying in state at Chennai's Rajaji Hall, where political leaders from across the country and members of the public are paying their last respects to the veteran leader.

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08 August 2018

11:01 IST

"Madras High Court has instructed the AIADMK government to ensure the establishment of a memorial for Karunanidhi at the spot," says .

(ANI)

10:59 IST

Tamil Nadu: MK Stalin breaks down after Madras High Court's verdict to allow the burial of former CM M #Karunanidhi at Chennai's Marina beach. pic.twitter.com/rzgJ4h4fG4

— ANI (@ANI) August 8, 2018

10:57 IST

Welcome the judgment. The pettiness of the TN government has been put in place. #KalaignarKarunanidhi https://t.co/iIhb3Oxln6

— Karti P Chidambaram (@KartiPC) August 8, 2018

10:55 IST

Karunanidhi would become the fourth Tamil Nadu CM to be buried on the Marina.

He would also be the first former Chief Minister to be buried there.

CN Annadurai, MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa were Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu at the time of their death.

Karunanidhi has served as Tamil Nadu CM five times.

10:54 IST

Karunanidhi is likely to be buried within the samadhi of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and his mentor, CN Annadurai.

09:09 IST

TN Govt states in its counter-affidavit that DMK chief Karunanidhi himself didn't allot land for former CM Janaki Ramachandran after understanding the protocol manual when Karunanidhi was the CM.

08:45 IST

Madras High Court allows Karunanidhi's burial at the masoleum complex on Chennai's iconic Marina Beach.

08:33 IST

Madras High Court has dismissed petitions filed by three activists against the construction of memorials on Marina Beach.

'Traffic' Ramaswamy, K Balu and Duraisamy had told the court on Tuesday night that they would be willing to withdraw their petitions.

(Input: ANI)

08:11 IST

Madras High Court directs 'Traffic' Ramaswamy’s lawyer to file memorandum that he has no objection to bury Karunanidhi’s body at Marina Beach. Lawyer submits the memorandum to the Acting Chief Justice.

'Traffic' Ramaswamy is a prolific PIL activist who was among those who had filed a petition against the decision to bury Jayalalithaa at Marina Beach.

He had told the HC on Tuesday night that he was willing to withdraw his petition and that he had no obejction to Karunanidhi being buried at the Marina Beach mausoleum complex.

07:42 IST

Thousands throng to catch their final glimpse of Karunanidhi as his body lies in state.

Many raising slogans like 'Marina vendum', which means, 'We want Marina'.

07:05 IST

Chennai: Huge crowd gathers at Chennai's Rajaji Hall to pay last respects to former Tamil Nadu CM M #Karunanidhi. Crowd raises slogans of 'Long live Kalaignar' and 'Need Marina! Need Marina!' pic.twitter.com/pIvBPZyKTE

— ANI (@ANI) August 8, 2018

06:59 IST

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Pannerselvam have paid their respects Karunanidhi at the Rajaji Hall.

The two sides are now locked in controversy and in court over the choice of a burial site for the decesased DMK chief.

06:55 IST