Ensure elected women councillors act independently, HC tells TN

CHENNAI: "We must ensure that elected women members of civic bodies function independently," the Madras high court said on Wednesday.
"The court should ensure it," the first bench of Acting Chief Justice T Raja and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy said wondering why the court should not pass a restraining order against husbands of such women members from entering the civic body offices.
"Since the issue has come up on the International Women's Day, we direct the state government to file a report detailing status and functioning of such elected women members of local bodies across the state though the present PIL pertains to only one civic body," the court said.
The bench passed the order on a plea moved by T Annamalai of Tiruvannamalai, alleging that the husband of Venkidapalayam village panchayat president has been interfering with discharging of her official duties and involving in Kangaroo Court and land encroachment.
When the plea came up for hearing, the court suo motu impleaded the Puducherry government and directed it to file a report on independent functioning of elected women members in the union territory.
Responding to the plea, state government pleader P Muthukumar promised the court that necessary action will be taken by the state on the issue. He further pointed out that the chief minister has already made a clear announcement that women members should be allowed to act independently.
Recording the submissions, the bench directed both the Tamil Nadu and Puducherry governments to file the report in two weeks.