Observer appointed for Tamil Film Producers Council meeting

The Madras High Court today appointed a retired judge as the 'observer' for the annual general body meeting of the Tamil Film Producers Council to be held here on December 10.
Justice CV Karthikeyan passed the interim order while allowing the applications arising out of a batch of civil suits filed by a group of producers.
The judge appointed Justice RS Ramanathan, a retired judge of the Madras High Court, as an observer to monitor the proceedings of the meeting.
The batch of suits challenged the proposed amendments to bye-law 3(e) and 13 of the Council, which they alleged would alter the meaning of the 'regular producer' and introduce a new law to the effect that to enroll as a regular producer and to enjoy the voting right, he/she should have had released three films.

Granting permission for the meeting, the judge said it shall proceed on the designated date, time and place and there can be a discussion over Agenda No 6, which pertains to introduction of new bye-laws and voting.
However, the result shall not be declared without the permission of the court, the judge added.

The counsel of plaintiffs insisted that to ensure that the meeting is held in a conducive atmosphere, the presence of an observer would be helpful.
The Council, being a body of respectable persons, would be able to regularise the meeting by themselves, the judge observed.
But, since it is insisted that the resolution is to be discussed in the meeting and later to be confirmed by the court, it is just and necessary that an Observer is appointed, he said.

Accordingly, Justice Ramanathan is appointed, he added.