Thaindian News

Kochi, Oct 13 (IANS): The Kerala High Court Wednesday allowed the Tamil Nadu advocate general (AG) to appear before it on behalf of a lottery distributor, and imposed a fine of Rs.50,000 on a petitioner who had challenged his decison to fight the case.

A division bench of Justice Thottathil B. Radhakrishnan dismissed the petition filed by Youth Congress leader Muhammed Shiyas against advocate general P.S.Raman appearing in a case against the Kerala government, and ruled that there was nothing wrong in Raman appearing in the court or any AG appearing in any court outside the state.

The court also directed the petitioner to pay a fine of Rs.50,000 in three months.

Raman early this month appeared in the Kerala High Court against the state of Kerala on behalf of a lottery distributor.

Shiyas Oct 7 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 advocate general of Tamil Nadu.

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

Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan had written to his counterpart in Tamil Nadu about Raman appearing for Megha Distributors, agent for the Bhutan Lottery in the state, and following this letter had asked Raman not to appear in the case as the Kerala government had raised objection to it.

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.