Chennai: Congress MP R Sudha has approached the Madras High Court seeking to declare the enrolment of Rajiv Gandhi assassination case convict A G Perarivalan as an advocate. She has also sought a declaration that Section 24A of the Advocates Act is unconstitutional insofar as it permits the enrolment of persons convicted and sentenced to death or life imprisonment.
Admitting the plea on Wednesday, a vacation bench comprising Justice L Victoria Gowri and Justice N Senthilkumar directed the Bar Council of India and the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry to file their responses. The court adjourned the hearing to June 9.
According to the petitioner, Perarivalan was convicted in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. She stated, 'In May 2022, he was released merely on the ground of an inordinate and unexplained delay in deciding his mercy petitions.'
The petitioner argued that once Perarivalan was found guilty by the Supreme Court, which also rejected the connected review petitions, the finality of guilt was attained. Additionally, she claimed that the law degree obtained by Perarivalan is illegal, as he was ineligible to be admitted to the LLB program due to not completing the mandatory 10+2+3 mode of education.
Furthermore, the petitioner contended that the office-bearers of the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, who approved the enrolment, lacked official capacity to carry out the functions of the enrolment committee after their tenure expired, particularly after the election notification was issued by the high-power committee on January 30.
