'MIC re-elections on, with or without chief's nod'

 

With or without MIC president G Palanivel's approval, vice-president M Saravanan said he will form a special committee with 15 central working committee (CWC) members to hold re-elections.

"The Registrar of Societies (ROS) has recommended that we form a special committee to hold re-elections - the sooner the better. I will suggest this to the president.

"Don't forget that in MIC, with the agreement of 15 CWC members, we can do it. So don't push me," Saravanan told reporters after his meeting with the ROS in Putrajaya today.

"For the sake of the party, I need to see him (Palanivel) in order to suggest a meeting. If I have no choice, I will go to his house.

"If I don't see him in the MIC office, I'll probably have to spend one or two days outside his house," he added.

Saravanan also said that if Palanivel (left) continued to refuse to see him to discuss the fate of the party, he would call 40 division heads for a special assembly.

Meanwhile, Saravanan also clarified that the 68-year-old party would not be de-registered by the ROS, as former MIC secretary-general A Prakash Rao had sent the ROS a letter of suggestion on Jan 2.

The letter had urged the ROS to provide an extension of 60 to 120 days for MIC to solve its internal issues and come up with its re-election.

'The ROS will consider the proposal'

Saravanan said the ROS would consider the proposal, and might even extend the time span for the re-election of MIC members for up to 120 days.

On Dec 5, the ROS had nullified the elections of MIC's three vice-presidents and 23 CWC members, and proposed fresh elections for these posts.

ROS said the party elections had been nullified because of breaches of the MIC constitution and the Societies Act.

Saravanan also told reporters that he was disappointed that Palanivel set up a meeting with the ROS, taking along Senator 'Barath' Maniam - and an unknown lawyer by the name of Chandra - when Palanivel was mandated to bring the vice-president instead.

Saravanan then urged Palanivel to forget the past and "try to set a new chapter" within the party.

However, the ROS confirmed today during the meeting that the party's current committee members are no longer valid, as they were elected in 2013.

"Based on the documents with the ROS, the current committee members elected are no longer valid until we hold a re-election," Saravanan said, adding that the post for secretary-general and treasurer are also not valid, as the election took place in 2013.

Saravanan reiterated that he would try to get the members together, alongside the president, to save the party.