Red-flags CSI vote, appoints judges’ panel to oversee body: Madras High Court

The Madras High Court on Friday established a two-member administrative committee made up of retired judges to take over the Synod of the Church of South India (CSI) with immediate effect, citing the inability to continue with the current office-bearers who were chosen in a “vitiated” election.

In response to appeals by CSI members who wanted to overturn a single judge’s decision, a division bench comprising Justices R Sakthivel and R Subramanian issued rulings. The committee was tasked with overseeing the synod. They also looked for fair and impartial elections to choose the diocesan council members.

The court noted that the “defective” electoral college and the by-law revisions enacted without adhering to CSI’s constitution had “vitiated” the election process. Consequently, it said, “We cannot permit the office-bearers elected in such a vitiated election to remain in office.”

Judges R Balasubramanian and V Bharathidasan formed a committee to oversee the synod’s operations, overturning a previous ruling that designated a retired judge to conduct elections only for the position of Moderator—the highest authority.

It said that the committee would be more equipped to manage CSI’s operations than an individual given the nature of the job and the amount of time to be spent on administration.

In addition, the bench instructed the committee to assume leadership right now and oversee governance until the diocesan council elections are finished. In order to finish the election process as soon as possible, it also requested that the panel do it quickly.

Speaking on behalf of two of the appellants, attorney S Thanka Sivan claimed that the moderator and other office holders engaged in grave misconduct and electoral college manipulation.

According to the attorney, this means that the elections for the triennial of 2023–2026 shouldn’t be permitted. Prior to the elections, he also tried to streamline the electoral college.