1. Madras HC rejects plea against Governor holding “office of profit”
The Madras High Court dismissed the plea seeking disqualification of Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi on the charge of holding “office of profit”. The First Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice T. Raja and Justice D. Bharatha Chakravarthy held that the petition against the Governor could not be entertained due to the immunity he enjoyed under Article 361 of the Constitution.
The petitioner, M. Kannadasan of Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam (TPDK), challenged Mr. Ravi’s authority to continue to hold the office while simultaneously serving as the Chairman of the Board of Governors of Auroville Foundation in Puducherry.
Contending that the post held by the Governor in the Auroville Foundation was an office of profit since it encompasses salary payment and other allowances apart from leave, pension and that Article 158(2) of the Constitution prohibits Governors from holding any other office of profit.
2. Final electoral roll of special summary revision released
The integrated final electoral roll of special summary revision of photo electoral roll, 2023 was released by the Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo at Chennai. According to the published rolls, the total electorate of Tamil Nadu is 6,20,41,179, with the women outnumbering the men.
The total number of male voters is 3,04,89,866 while the total number of female voters are 3,15,43,286. There are 8,027 third gender in the final roll. The voters between the age group of 18 and 19 are 4,66,374.
3. Youth sets woman ablaze
Tiruppur District (Rural) Police arrested a 22-year-old man near Palladam for murdering a 19-year-old woman by setting her on fire.
According to the police, G. Lokesh, a native of Palladam in the district, was in love with S. Pooja, 19, a native of Mumbai who was working in the same garment company he worked. While Lokesh wanted to end the relationship, Pooja insisted on continuing it. Following a verbal duel, he assaulted her and then set her ablaze yesterday.
She who was in treatment at the Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital succumbed to her injuries today.
4. Reply sought from State, police on RSS march
Justices R. Mahadevan and J. Sathya Narayana Prasad of the Madras High Court has sought reply from the Tamil Nadu government and the Tamil Nadu police by January 19, during the hearing of appeals preferred by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) office bearers seeking permission for route marches on public roads.
The case was then adjourned to January 20.
