Madras HC Advocate Association polls put off amid booth capture

CHENNAI: The elections to the Madras High Court Advocates Association (MHAA) was, on Monday, postponed indefinitely after attempted rigging and booth capturing by a group of lawyers.

The polls, held as per an order of the HC, started in the morning after minor technical glitches. Within hours, a section of lawyers barged into the polling booths, took away a bunch of ballot papers, and damaged poll materials. 

When the situation started slipping out of hands, the teller committee (responsible for conducting the polls) head and senior advocate, Kabir, announced the elections stand postponed. Tension gripped the High Court premises as groups of lawyers indulged in sloganeering and counter-sloganeering.

The polls were aimed at filling various posts including the president, secretary, executive members and librarian of the association. Following the disruption, the matter was taken to the first bench of the Madras High Court headed by Acting Chief Justice T Raja.

Just before lunch break, senior counsel S Prabhakaran made a mention before the bench and requested the court to appoint a retired High Court judge for holding the polls. He said bunches of ballot papers having QR code were taken away from the polling booths, and accused the poll officials for poor arrangements for the voting process by employing law college students.

However, the bench told it could consider the matter only if a petition is filed as per the procedures.