1. PIL in Madras HC challenges constitution of Fact Checking Unit by State
A public interest litigation (PIL) petition has been filed in the Madras High Court, challenging the constitution of a Fact Checking Unit (FCU) by the Tamil Nadu government citing that it amounts to attack on the freedom of speech of citizens and is an attempt to stifle the voice of the Opposition.
R. Nirmal Kumar, joint secretary of the AIADMK‘s State Information Technology wing, has filed the PIL petition. The petitioner urged the court to declare, as unconstitutional, a Government Order dated October 6 for the constitution of the FCU, and also insisted upon an interim injunction restraining its Mission Director Iyan Karthikeyan from continuing in his post.
2. Acquittal in assets case: SC refuses to entertain plea challenging revision case against Minister Ponmudy
The Supreme Court has refused to interfere with the Madras High Court order issuing notice to DMK Minister K. Ponmudy and his wife on a criminal revision case initiated by it following their acquittal in a disproportionate wealth case by a Vellore trial court.
A bench headed by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud praised the Madras High Court judge Justice N. Anand Venkatesh for taking suo motu notice of the matter.
Tamil Nadu BJP has welcomed the observations of the Supreme Court.
3. SC nod to RSS route march in T.N.
The Supreme Court granted permission to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to conduct route march in Tamil Nadu either on November 19 or November 26, but gave the State authorities the liberty to pick one of the two dates and decide the course of the march.
A Bench of Justices Surya Kant and Dipankar Datta was hearing a special leave petition filed by the State, through the Director General of Police (DGP), against two orders of Single Judge Benches of the Madras High Court allowing RSS route marches in the State.
4. Sanatana Dharma protectors cannot use unsavoury words on social media platforms: Madras HC
A person who claims to be a ‘Rakshak (protector) of Santana Dharma’ should not use unsavoury words such as Vesi, which refers to sex workers, on social media platforms, the Madras High Court has said while asking an individual, Rangarajan Narasimhan of Srirangam to detox himself from social media for a period of at least two weeks and and imposed a fine of ₹2,000 on him for contempt of court.
5. Udhayanidhi firm on ‘Sanatana Dharma’ comment after Madras HC’s observation
Minister for Youth Welfare, Udhayanidhi Stalin, while addressing journalists at Chennai said there was nothing wrong in his remarks made on Sanatana Dharma two months ago.
Udhayanidhi said: “There was nothing wrong in what I had spoken. We will face the matter legally. I will not change my stand. I have only talked about my ideology.” He reiterated his stand while answering a question on the Madras High Court’s observation.
Earlier in the day, the Madras High Court had observed that it was dereliction of duty on the part of police as they did not act against Udhayanidhi Stalin and Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department Minister P.K. Sekarbabu who had participated in a ‘Sanatana Dharma eradication’ conference
