Former judge to be observer at Tamil Film Producer Council's annual general meeting

Chennai: Permitting the office-bearers of Tamil Film Producers Council to proceed with its annual general body meeting, scheduled to be held on December 10 at Kalaivannar Arangam, subject to certain conditions, the Madras high court has appointed Justice R.S. Ramanathan, a retired judge of the Madras high court, as an observer for the meeting.

Justice C.V. Karthikeyan granted the permission while passing interim orders on a suit filed by producers R. Kishore Kumar, R. Vadivelu and P. Saravanan, which challenged the proposed amendments to the bye-law 3 (e) and 13 of the council. They alleged that the proposed amendments would alter the present meaning of the regular producer and introduce a new law to the effect that to enrol as a regular producer and to enjoy the voting right, he/she should have produced three films.

The judge said the general body meeting shall continue and shall proceed on the date, time and place and there shall also be a discussion with respect to the Agenda No.6 particularly with respect to the introduction of the new byelaws. But, even if there was voting to be done, the result shall not be declared except with the permission of this court, the judge added. The judge said the counsel for the petitioner insisted that to ensure that the meeting was held in a conducive atmosphere, the presence of an observer would be of much help.

Accordingly, Justice R.S. Ramanathan, a retired judge of the high court, was appointed as an Observer for the general body meeting to ensure proper discussion and voting, if required. He was requested to ensure that only the members who have proper ID were permitted to participate in the proceedings. He may also allow discussion on the subject. It was hoped that the participating members would uphold the dignity of the Observer who held the post of judge of the Madras High Court, the judge added and posted to December 13, further hearing of the case.