HC: Regime change no ground to review old govt’s decisions

CHENNAI: Merely because the earlier government was from a different political dispensation, the decisions it took need not be reviewed by the incumbent regime, observed the Madras High Court on Saturday.

Justice R Suresh Kumar made the observation while dismissing a petition challenging the government’s move to shift the previous AIADMK government’s scheme to establish a State-level cooperative training institute in Yercaud.

“If the previous government’s decision is good for the public, the successive government can continue the project. Certain decisions taken by the erstwhile government, if it is not good for the welfare of… the society, can be reviewed and alternative, best administrative solution can very well be given,” the judge added.

The court also noted that several schemes of previous governments are scrapped when regimes change, but in some cases, the new governments take similar decisions as the previous one, despite they being detrimental to the people.

“In respect of the prohibition policy, for about the past five decades, many successive governments have been continuously and steadily following the same policy, under which, the State, either through licensees or through Tasmac, made liquor available to the people in the most convenient manner and place, knowing well that such a decision is certainly injurious and detrimental to the people at large and also against the growth of the State. The only reason these successive governments [are following the same policy] is that it is a large revenue source,” the judge noted.

Coming to the case, the judge said that the current government had made a policy decision to shift the training institute from Yercaud to Kodaikanal after conducting a review meeting headed by the Chief Minister.

“Therefore, the policy to shift the institute is to be decided by the democratic government and not by the courts,” the judge said while dismissing the plea by G Sendrayan, a native of Yercaud who challenged the GO dated November 9, 2021.