The Madras High Court on Friday, April 5, 2024, directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to take a decision by 5 p.m. on Friday on a representation to be made by the management of YouTube channel, Chanakyaa, to conduct a debate (Pattimandram) titled ‘Kalam 2024’ at an indoor auditorium in Coimbatore on Sunday, April 7.
Chief Justice Sanjay V. Gangapurwala and Justice J. Sathya Narayana Prasad asked senior counsel V. Raghavachari to make sure the representation was filed within an hour to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) who, in turn, was directed to forward it to the ECI forthwith for taking necessary action by the end of the day.
The orders were passed after ECI counsel Niranjan Rajagopalan told the court that the representation made on April 1 was rejected by the Coimbatore District Election Officer on April 4, on the basis of an adverse police report, and hence, the petitioner would have to now file a fresh representation to the commission.
