Plea to include names in tender case dismissed

Pointing out that the Supreme Court had advised all High Courts not to entertain public interest litigations (PIL) seeking directions to the authorities to consider their representations, the Madras High Court rejected a PIL filed for including the names of former mayors of Chennai and Coimbatore in a tender violation case.

“Litigants should not file the petitions without knowing any procedures,” observed the first bench comprising Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy while dismissing a plea filed by Nervazhi Iyakkam, which prayed for a direction to the DVAC to include the names of former mayors and officials of Chennai and Coimbatore Corporations.

Noting that the agency had booked former minister SP Velumani and 17 others for floating tenders illegally, the outfit said the mayors and officials who signed on related files should also be held responsible.

However, the bench noted that the petition was against the apex court directions and warned of dismissing the petition with cost. The petitioner’s counsel then withdrew the plea.