Rs 10K fine on litigants for filing PIL without supporting docus

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Monday dismissed a Public Interest Litigation with a cost of Rs 10,000 on the petitioners for filing the petition without filing sufficient material evidence to prove their claims.

The first bench comprising Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice N Mala observed this on dismissing the plea filed by Dr Balaji Murugesan, Senthilkumar, and others.

The petitioners claimed that they are alumni of the government boy’s higher secondary school in Sendamangalam, Namakkal district. They sought a direction to restrain the school education department from granting the school playground to construct a court complex.

However, the Chief Justice observed that the petition had been filed only on the basis of the news report and sufficient documents to consolidate the claims of the petitioners were not submitted.

The bench also held that as per the ruling of the Supreme Court, the litigants cannot approach the courts only on the basis of the news report.

The petitioners alleged that the government is looking to acquire about 2 acres of land from the school ground for constructing a court complex. They further said in their affidavit that an Adi Dravida Welfare Hostel and Block Development Office have already been constructed in the playground.