The move came two days after the Supreme Court suspended the former minister Ponmudy's sentence and conviction.
Published Mar 14, 2024 | 11:42 AM ⚊ Updated Mar 14, 2024 | 11:42 AM
Former Tamil Nadu Minister Ponmudy. (X)
DMK leader K Ponmudy was reinstated as a legislator on Wednesday, 13 March, as the authorities revoked the notification declaring his Tirukoyilur Assembly constituency vacant.
The Tamil Nadu Assembly Secretariat declared his constituency as “deemed to have become vacant” from the date of his conviction.
The move came two days after the Supreme Court suspended the former minister’s sentence and conviction.
Granting relief to Ponmudy the Supreme Court, on Monday, 11 March, suspended the conviction and a three-year sentence by the Madras High Court.
The Tamil Nadu Assembly Secretariat declared Tirukoyilur vacant by way of a notification issued on 5 March 2024. The Assembly Secretariat issued a fresh notification dated 13 March to rescind the notification of 5 March.
According to the new notification, an interim order of the Supreme Court dated 11 March 2024 suspended Ponmudy’s conviction and following that, the Assembly Secretariat on Wednesday revoked the earlier notification that declared the former minister’s constituency vacant.
The Tamil Nadu Assembly Secretariat declared his constituency as “deemed to have become vacant” from the date of his conviction.
Supreme Court pronounced its order over the plea filed by Ponmudy and his wife against the high court order convicting them.
The court also suspended the sentence of Ponmudy’s wife but refused to stay her conviction.
The bench, comprised of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan, directed that Ponmudi shall appear before the Special Court and complete the bail formalities within a period of 1 month. Till the time these formalities are completed, the order granting exemption from surrendering will continue to operate, it added, reported LiveLaw.
Madras High Court on 19 December 2023, convicted the former minister and his wife in a disproportionate asset case that he was acquitted of in 2016. The conviction automatically disqualified Ponmudy as a legislator, and in turn as a minister.
Subsequently, the court sentenced Ponmudy and his wife to three years of simple imprisonment in the disproportionate assets case on 21 December 2023.
The court has given both convicted persons 30 days to surrender and approach the Supreme Court for remedies. Justice G Jayachandran of the Madras High Court also imposed a fine of ₹50 lakh each on them.
Following the conviction, Chief Minister MK Stalin allotted his Higher Education Portfolio to Backward Classes Welfare Minister RS Rajakannappan.
From May 2021, when the DMK assumed power, Ponmudy served as the Higher Education Minister till his disqualification following conviction in the assets case.
(With PTI inputs)
(Edited by Sumavarsha Kandula)
