Judge Hearing Plea By AIADMK Leader O Panneerselvam Opts Out Of Case

The judge hearing a plea by ousted All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) leader O Panneerselvam against the party's July 11 general council meet, on Friday recused himself from the case, days after the former's plea for changing the judge.

Justice Krishnan Ramaswamy of the Madras High Court, who had chided O Panneerselvam and his advocates on August 4 for approaching the Chief Justice on Wednesday with a plea to transfer the civil suit to some other judge, opted out from hearing the case today.

The crowded court hall of Justice Krishnan Ramaswamy witnessed some drama when the matter came up for further hearing in the afternoon.

The counsels representing O Panneerselvam tendered unconditional apologies for filing the plea to transfer the case to some other judge.

"I myself could have recused from hearing the case, if you had informed me before moving the Chief Justice," the judge replied.

Then he directed them to file a memo in this connection and get their earlier plea seeking the case transfer, officially returned and passed over the matter.

Later, the counsels assembled in Justice Krishnan Ramaswamy's court hall and told him that the formality to get back the plea was completed.

It was at this stage, the judge announced that he is recusing himself from holding further hearing on the civil suit of O Panneerselvam.

He directed the registry to take the follow-up action to place the matter before the Chief Justice and said the latter will decide as to who should hear the case.

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