A Barisan Nasional-brokered (BN) peace deal is at risk in MIC after a central working committee member filed a judicial review to compel the authorities to retract an order for fresh party polls.K.Ramalingam, who is the MIC strategic director, filed the ex-parte application for the court to set aside directives from the Registrar of Societies (RoS) to ask the MIC to conduct fresh election for three vice-presidents and 23 CWC positions.
The suit names the respondents as the RoS and its director-general Mohammad Razin Abdullah. The judicial review was filed at the High Court here through Messrs Selvam Shanmugam & Partners.
In the suit, Ramalingam named RoS and Mohammad Razin as respondents and sought a review of the RoS's action through four directives dated December 5, 2014, December 31, 2014, January 6, 2015 and February 6.
Ramalingam claimed the directives sent by the respondent should be deemed mala-fide and ultra vires.
On January 3, MIC president Datuk Seri G.Palanivel in a surprise move named Ramalingam as the new Strategic Director of MIC replacing Datuk Seri Vell Paari, who is the son of former party president Datuk Seri Samy Vellu.
The MIC internal crisis started following its election of three vice-presidents and 23 central working committee members in 2013 during the party's Annual General Meeting.
Last week, Palanivel had abandoned the court battle after BN thrashed out a peace deal with his estranged deputy president Datuk Seri Dr S.Subramaniam.
Palanivel's faction had prepared to go to court over the RoS "interference" in MIC affairs, while Dr Subramaniam's supporters had gathered a number of branch chairmen and announced a challenge for the top party post.
According to The Star, both sides are expected to launch a full line-up for all posts – branch chairmen, division heads, the 23 CWC posts, three vice-presidencies and the deputy president’s post.
This is the first time in MIC’s 69-year history that two clear factions are fighting for control and power.
Heavy jostling has also broken out among prospective candidates to be included in the respective line-ups of the two leaders.
Palanivel has promised to call for a meeting of the 2009 CWC after the Chinese New Year holidays, and Dr Subramaniam has agreed to attend.
The 2009 CWC is deemed valid but the 2013 CWC, which was elected under Palanivel’s leadership as president in December 2013, has been declared invalid by the RoS because of numerous irregularities in the elections.
The 2009 CWC is also tasked with forming an independent election committee which will conduct the elections as per the RoS decision in a January 6 letter to the MIC. – February 23, 2015.
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