Ponmudi Become MLA: The Supreme Court has paused the three-year prison sentence handed to ex-minister Ponmudi for misusing assets. This gives him a chance to stay on as an MLA because his guilty verdict has been stopped.
Ponmudi and his wife Visalakshi were sentenced to three years in jail by the Madras High Court for accumulating assets beyond their known sources of income. As a consequence of this conviction under the Prevention of Corruption Act, Ponmudi’s MLA position was automatically revoked.
Additionally, the Legislative Assembly Secretariat has informed the Election Commission that the Thirukovilur constituency is now vacant. This indicates that there’s no current representative for that constituency in the Legislative Assembly.
During a recent hearing in the Supreme Court, Ponmudi’s appeal against the High Court’s decision was discussed. Ponmudi’s representatives argued that the punishment imposed on him was excessively severe in the Sumoto case.
They also mentioned that sentences against other politicians like Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and Bahujan Samaj MP Afzal Ansari had been suspended. With a by-election expected to be announced soon for the Thirukovilur constituency, Ponmudi’s side requested the issuance of an appropriate order before that happened. This indicates their urgency in resolving the matter before the upcoming election.
Following a Supreme Court decision, Ponmudi’s three-year prison sentence in the asset embezzlement case has been put on hold. Moreover, the High Court’s ruling against Ponmudi and his wife in this case has also been suspended. With the guilty verdict currently suspended, there is a chance Ponmudi may continue serving as the MLA for Thirukovilur.
In light of these developments, it has been suggested that Ponmudi could seek to reclaim his MLA position by approaching the Legislative Assembly Secretariat. Speaker Appa recently held discussions with Legislative Assembly Secretary Srinivasan to address this matter. This indicates efforts are being made to address the situation and potentially reinstate Ponmudi as an MLA.
Additionally, Ponmudi visited Chief Minister M.K. Stalin at his camp office on Cenotaph Road in Chennai. During the meeting, Ponmudi had discussions with the Chief Minister, along with other senior DMK executives like Duraimurugan, T. R. Balu, and R. S. Bharathi.
In Ponmudi’s hometown district of Villupuram, the DMK celebrated the Supreme Court’s verdict by setting off fireworks. Vishika MP Ravikumar also joined in the festivities. These celebrations reflect the positive response within the DMK party to the Supreme Court’s decision regarding Ponmudi’s case.
Wilson, a lawyer representing the DMK, mentioned in a phone interview with News 18 that no barriers are preventing Ponmudi from becoming a minister once again. He also emphasized the need to amend the law to allow a three-month grace period before removing elected representatives from their positions.
Meanwhile, Minister Sellur Raju expressed the opinion that Ponmudi still faces uncertainty. He suggested that despite the suspension of the guilty verdict, there is still uncertainty surrounding Ponmudi’s position as an MLA. Raju hinted that there might still be legal complications affecting Ponmudi’s status.
Furthermore, there is speculation that Ponmudi’s MLA post will automatically be reinstated now that the guilty verdict has been suspended. This suggests that Ponmudi may be eligible to resume his role as an MLA in light of the recent legal developments.
Also Read: Madras High Court Denies Bail For Ex-Minister Senthil Balaji In Money Laundering Case
