Kanimozhi, 13 heads of panchayats booked for ‘People Sabhas’

THOOTHUKUDI/COIMBATORE: MP Kanimozhi and over 500 DMK cadre in Thoothukudi were booked under various sections of the Epidemic Diseases Act for organising People’s Sabha meeting on October 2 without obtaining prior permission from the police department.

The parliamentarian participated in the meeting on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanthi and distributed welfare materials to the general public even though the State government had cancelled the customary Grama Sabha meetings citing the Covid pandemic.

Meanwhile, the elected heads of 13 village panchayats in Coimbatore district were on Saturday booked for violating a government order by conducting unauthorised People’s Sabha in their respective panchayats on Friday, police said. During the meetings held in many village panchayats, resolutions against the Central government’s three farm laws were passed.

The 13 village panchayats in the district have elected presidents either having membership in the DMK or affiliated to it. All of them were booked for holding the meeting in violation of a government order, the police said.

While the representatives were booked in police stations located in their respective panchayats, cases have also been registered in police stations located in Pollachi, Anaimalai and Periyanaickenpalayam sub-divisions, the police sources added. The government conducts Grama Sabha meetings a minimum of four times a year – on January 26, May 1, August 15, and October 2.

DMK or affiliated
The 13 village panchayats have elected presidents either having membership in the DMK or affiliated to it