Thaindian News

Kochi Oct 8 (IANS) The Kerala High Court Friday accepted a Youth Congress leader’s petition questioning Tamil Nadu Advocate General (AG) P.S. Raman’s appearance in the high court against the state of Kerala on behalf of a lottery distributor. The court will hear the case Monday.

A division bench of Justice Thottathil B. Radhakrishnan, hearing the petition of Youth Congress leader Muhammed Shiyas, decided to settle the issue first and hear the lottery irregularities case later.

Shiyas Thursday filed an impleading petition in the high court, requesting the court not to accept the submissions or arguments of Raman in the lottery case as he is holding the post of the AG of Tamil Nadu.

The petitioner contended that by appearing for a private party fin tne high court, Raman has challenged certain legislative provisions of the central and state governments.

The bench said since this (appearance of AG) was a constitutional issue and questioned the confidence of the judiciary, the lottery case would be taken up later.

The Kerala cabinet Wednesday asked Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan to write to his counterpart in Tamil Nadu about Raman appearing for Megha Distributors, agent for the Bhutan Lottery in the state.

Raman appeared for Megha distributors which has had a running feud with the Kerala government over issues pertaining to taxes and the number of draws being held by the lottery.

Raman, ahead of appearing, said there was nothing wrong in his appearing in a court outside his state for a private litigant.

The Kerala unit of the Congress party also objected to Raman appearing on behalf of the lottery distributor, whom party spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi earlier defended.

Meanwhile, Raman who was scheduled to appear in the case for the lottery distributors did not turn up Friday and said from Chennai that a decision on what needs to be done would be taken after knowing the views of the Tamil Nadu government.