HC allows AMMK’s plea for public meeting

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday allowed the plea of the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) for conducting a public meeting against Sterlite Copper in Thoothukudi.

A division bench of Justices C.T. Selvam and A. M. Basheer Ahamed directed the Thoothukudi SIPCOT police to consider the representation of the AMMK on merit. The party had sought permission for the meeting on April 17.

The petitioner, Henry Thomas of Thoothukudi, a cadre of the AMMK, said the police had earlier denied permission for a public meeting scheduled for April 8. He claimed that they ought not to have curtailed the party’s right to extend support to the public of Thoothukudi.

The petitioner sought permission for the public meeting, preferably at M.G.R. Thidal near VVD Signal in the city.

The High Court had recently allowed DMK MLA Geetha Jeevan of Thoothukudi to hold a public demonstration against Sterlite.