PCI order directing TN Home Sectry to appear before it stayed

Chennai: The Madras High Court yesterday stayed the Press Council Of India's order directing the Tamil Nadu Home Secretary and the Madurai District Collector to appear inn person before it on September 19. "As an interim measure, further proceedings pending beforethe Press Council of India which passed the order on May 15 as also operation of the order "shall remain stayed until further orders," the bench said in its brief order.The matter pertained to a complaint made by S Manimaran, Editor 'Thina Boomi' Tamil daily, Madurai. to the Council on July 30, 2010 alleging that subsequent to the publication of a news item and articles against illegal quarrying, police took him and his son into custoday on July 21 without any warrant.He also alleged false complaints were booked against him and wanted the PCI to take action against the concerned as otherwise it would affect his functioning as a news reporter.The PCI took cognizance of the complaint issued notice to authorities which included the Home Secretary and Madurai District Collector who submitted their response.Meanwhile, the editor withdrew his complaint on April 5, 2013. But the PCI in its order dated May 15 said it had expected that the police personnel concerned would have been suspended, which was not done even today by the District Collector nor the Home Secretary.The PCI also observed that if Tamil Nadu government found itself unable to run the administration in accordance with the Constitution, it had no right to continue in office and should quit.The Council had issued a notice for the personalappearance of the Home Secretary and the Madurai Collector, which was challenged by the Chief Secretary and other officials before the Court through a writ plea.Judge K.K.