Palanivel has no power to call for fresh polls

MIC President has to get the approval of the delegates before deciding on fresh polls.

KUALA LUMPUR: MIC vice-president M. Saravanan has queried party president G. Palanivel’s move to call for fresh elections on the grounds that “he has no power to do so”.

He claimed that only the party’s Central Working Committee can take such a decision and advised Palanivel to abide by the Registrar of Societies’s (RoS) directive for re-election to be held by April 1.

Saravanan also questioned Palanivel’s rationale in bringing forward the party’s election, scheduled to be held only in 2016.

“He does not have the power to bring forward the election date,” he said. “His position as the party president runs from 2013 to 2016. He has to get the approval of the delegates before deciding on fresh polls.”

The MIC constitution, he said, was clear on election matters and he reiterated his call to Palanivel to discuss the crisis within the party and with the party’s CWC.

“I am confused. His intention may be good but why doesn’t he solve the current pending issues with the RoS?” Saravanan was quoted as saying by Astro AWANI. “If these are not settled, the party can be deregistered.”

Palanivel proposed on Sunday to hold fresh elections to end the crisis in the party.

“We were looking at conducting either re-election or a fresh election,” he said after meeting with MIC branch chairmen throughout Johor on Sunday. “After discussions, we want to have a fresh election because it is the best way forward.”

On December 5, 2014, MIC was ordered by the RoS to conduct re-elections for 23 CWC positions and the three vice-president posts within 90 days following alleged breaches of the party’s constitution and the Societies Act.

On January 5, the RoS gave the party 120 days to resolve issues arising from the 2013 party election.