Tribunal shuts out LTTE sympathisers

Justice Vikramajit Sen of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal, who is examining the validity of the Centre’s ban on LTTE, dismissed the plea of LTTE sympathisers to hear their opinions against the ban on Wednesday, saying that they have no locus standi.

The Tamil Nationalist Movement (TNM) and the Tamil Nadu People’s Right Forum (TNPRF) had, on Tuesday, filed a petition before the tribunal to implead themselves in the proceeding and hear their opinion against the ban.
The advocate representing the TNPRF argued before the tribunal that it should hear the views of sympathisers in the absence of any LTTE member or office-bearer in TN.
Justice Sen, in his order, disallowed the petitioners from impleading themselves, but said the sympathisers could submit their views and documents before the tribunal to help it study the core issue.
“Locus standi so far as the tribunal is concerned is restricted to the concerned association, namely the LTTE, or is office bearers or members, none of whom is before the Tribunal,” he said.
Earlier, during his examination as a witness, Q-branch SP Ashok Kumar submitted records of LTTE cadre being arrested in TN. But the counsel for Tamil Nationalist Movement, besides MDMK founder Vaiko, said those cases were foisted on Sri Lankan Tamils, who visited Tamil Nadu as refugees were booked as LTTE cadre. Both of them told the tribunal that the argument of the police would not hold water unless the necessary documents for cross-examination were presented. The final public hearing would be held in Ooty on October 20.