Allegations of Bribery Surface in Advocate Selection Process
A legal controversy has emerged as a Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) party member has approached the Madras High Court, alleging corruption in the appointment process of government advocates in the Villupuram district. The petitioner, M. Gnanasoundari, a practicing lawyer from Villupuram, has filed a case against several key figures, including the Tamil Nadu Law Department and Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay. The case, titled Gnanasoundari Vs Secretary Law Department, raises serious concerns about the integrity of the selection process.
Details of the Petition
Gnanasoundari’s petition targets the Tamil Nadu Law Department, Villupuram District Collector, TVK president, and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, along with TVK officials. The petitioner seeks a directive allowing her participation in the selection process for government advocates. Additionally, she requests an interim injunction to halt any further proceedings under the current notification.
The controversy began with an advertisement issued on June 5 for appointing government advocates in Villupuram. Gnanasoundari submitted her applications for the roles of Special Public Prosecutor for the Mahila Court and Additional Public Prosecutor for the Principal and Sub Court, on June 22 and June 29, respectively. Despite submitting her biodata and relevant documents to the Collector’s office, she alleges that she did not receive any acknowledgment.
Concerns Over the Selection Process
Alarmingly, Gnanasoundari claims that a list of selected candidates was disseminated through WhatsApp groups well before the application deadline of June 29 at 5:45 PM. This list circulated as early as 12:11 PM, suggesting premeditated decisions, contrary to the official notification. Upon inquiring with the TVK district secretary, she was allegedly informed that the circulated list was indeed final.
Further, the petitioner asserts that candidates affiliated with the DMK and AIADMK were chosen without adherence to legal procedures. This alleged disregard for due process has been accompanied by claims of bribery, with accusations that sums ranging from ₹5 lakh to ₹30 lakh were extorted for each position in collaboration with government officials.
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Chief Minister Implicated
Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has been named as a respondent due to his dual role as TVK president and Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister. Despite his public stance against corruption, the alleged irregularities in the selection process cast doubt on the administration’s commitment to transparency and legality.
Represented by advocates A. Rameshmanikandan and R. Ananthalakshmi, Gnanasoundari’s plea highlights potential malpractice in the appointment of government advocates, demanding urgent judicial intervention.
