Madras HC dismisses plea against new TN secretariat

Chennai: The Madras High Court on Monday dismissed as withdrawn a Public Interest Litigation which sought a direction to the Tamil Nadu government to abandon its proposal to build a new secretariat at Foreshore Estate here.

The first bench comprising Chief Justice S A Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan dismissed the PIL petition filed by advocate R S Tamilvendan.

When the case came up for hearing, advocate Senthil Kumar, appearing for the petitioner, submitted that the petitioner came to know through newspapers that the State government was going to build a new Secretariat at a cost of Rs 1,200 crore.

It was proposed to be built at a place owned by the Tamil Nadu Housing Authority located in Foreshore Estate. If the government builds a new Secretariat, public money will be wasted, and the interest and welfare of the fishermen living in the area will be affected, he argued.

At this juncture, the bench intervened and asked the counsel where the power was for the court to direct the government not to construct a building at a particular place.

“You must know what a Public Interest Litigation is. At least you must do some homework and research. Have you challenged the G O pertaining to the new Secretariat”, the bench asked.

The bench said that in 2011, the shifting of the Secretariat was challenged and this court dismissed it. The Supreme Court also upheld the order. “You must say in what way the GO affects the public and the public money is wasted. How the public is affected”, the bench added.

When the court indicated that it would impose heavy costs, the counsel for the petitioner requested that the petitioner may be permitted to withdraw the petition. Following this, the bench dismissed the petition

as withdrawn.

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