Madras HC holds midnight hearing for plea to allow Karunanidhi burial at Marina Beach

A few moments back, the Madras High Court concluded a midnight hearing called on account of a petition moved by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) against the state government’s refusal to allow the burial of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M Karunanidhi at Marina Beach..After being hospitalised for deteriorating health conditions a little over a week back, DMK patriarch Karunanidhi passed away earlier this evening. Following his passing, the state government had been approached to allow Karunanidhi’s burial at Marina..However, the state government declined to accede to the request..The government had justified its refusal citing legal hurdles primarily on account of petitions filed earlier in the Court against the burial of late Chief Minister and AIADMK leader J Jayalalithaa at Marina Beach..Protesting the same, the DMK immediately moved an urgent petition before the Madras High Court..Acting Chief Justice HG Ramesh and Justice SS Sundar agreed to hear the same late on Tuesday night. The petition was admitted after Advocate General Vijay Narayan was informed of the matter..Since the AG is not presently in Chennai, the government was represented by AAGs PH Arvindh Pandian, SR Rajagopal, Government Pleader TN Rajagopal and Senior counsel CS Vaidyanathan..For the DMK, Senior Advocates P Wilson, R Viduthalai, Shunmugasundaram, NR Elango, and Veerkathirvan appeared, along with Advocates Richard Wilson, Girirajan, R Neelakandan, Arun, Edwin Prabhakar, Muniapparaj and Rajendran. Arguments in the hearing were lead by Senior Advocate Wilson..Inter alia, the DMK pointed out that the petitions being cited as legal hurdles to allowing the burial at Marina have been withdrawn by the petitioners. It is reported that out of five such petitions, four have been withdrawn so far..One petition filed by social activist Traffic Ramaswamy has not been withdrawn, Ramaswamy is reported to have said that there is no need to withdraw the petition since it has nothing to do with the burial of Karunanidhi..In response to concerns regarding the possible Coastal Zone Regulation violations, the DMK argued that the state had previously defended the legality of burying Jayalalithaa in Marina on the ground that there was no such violation..This apart, the space sought for the burial of Karunanidhi has also been notified as a crematorial/burial site by the resolution passed by the Chennai Corporation..The hearing is also said to have assumed political undertones when the government justified its actions by also pointing out that former Chief Ministers such as Kamarajar and Janaki Ramachandran were not given a burial at Marina..After hearing arguments till around 1.30 in the morning, the Court finally adjourned the matter. The government has been asked to file its reply by later this morning..The matter will be taken up at 8 am in the Madras High Court..Read the Writ Petition: