Permit MNPs to join duty

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Monday directed the government to permit members of the TN Makkal Nala Paniyalargar Munnetra Sangam and Dindigul District Makkal Nala Paniyalargar Sangam to join duty forthwith as per the list furnished to the Registry by them on November 12 last. Passing further interim orders on the writ petitions from the two Sangams, Justice K Suguna adjourned the matter till November 23 for filing compliance report.Originally, while granting a stay on the operation of the government orders, which disbanded the post of over 12,000 MNPs on November 11 last, the judge had directed the petitioner Sangams to file the list of their members to the Registry before 4 pm on November 12. Accordingly, the sangams filed the list. When the matter came up, petitioners’ counsel told the judge that the interim order was not given effect to by the government. Their members could not rejoin duty. Advocate-General A Navaneethakrishnan raised objections and petitioners’ counsel denied the objections. The judge said that these aspects could be gone into when the matter was taken up for final disposal. Since the order passed by this court on November 11 was only an interim order, it would not confer any right on the petitioners association. Unless it was disputed by the government that the individuals, whose names had been furnished as members of the association were not MNPs, they should be given the benefit of the interim order, the judge added and gave the direction. Earlier, the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj department filed its counter affidavit stating that the pleas were not maintainable. Petitioners’ averment that their sangams had membership of 13,000 was totally false and misleading. From the communication of the District Registrar dated November 14, it was clear that only 14 members furnished their Form-VI till that date. In the ‘occupation’ column, it was mentioned that they were working in private companies. The judge permitted the petitioners to file the list of members whose names were omitted, to the Registry by 4 pm on November 22. Matter will be taken up on November 24 for final disposal.