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AIADMK to counter TMC's petition to President on special courts

All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazagham members in Parliament will submit a petition to President K R Narayanan as a counter to the one submitted by Tamil Maanila Congress president G K Moopanar urging the President to advise the Union government against interfering in the trial of corruption cases against Jayalalitha and her erstwhile cabinet colleagues in the special courts.

This was disclosed by Jayalalitha in an informal chat with newsmen in Madras after paying floral tribute to AIADMK founder and former Tamil Nadu chief minister M G Ramachandran at his samadhi on the Marina Beach in Madras on the occasion of his 11th death anniversary.

It may be recalled that Moopanar, in his letter, had stated that the state government had authority under the Prevention of Corruption Act to constitute special courts. He maintained that the statement of the Prime Minister's Office on the matter was an undue interference in the trial process.

Moopanar's letter followed the Centre's submission before the Supreme Court and subsequent clarification by the PMO that the Centre alone was competent to appoint special courts under section 4(2) of the PCA.

Jayalalitha merely smiled when asked whether Moopanar was trying to form a third front with the Marumalarchi DMK of Vaiko and film star Rajnikant.

UNI

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