The Madras High Court on Monday dismissed a public interest petition that sought to halt the Tamil Nadu government’s plan to build a new Secretariat complex at Pattinapakkam in Chennai.
The state had decided on the project in August and began preliminary work. Chief Minister Vijay announced it in the Assembly, and a government order was issued stating the Secretariat would be built at an estimated cost of Rs 1,200 crore.
Advocate R.S. Thamizhvendhan filed the PIL requesting the court to direct the government to drop the project. The matter was heard by a bench comprising Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G. Arul Murugan.
During the hearing, the judges questioned how the expenditure could be termed a waste of public money and asked on what basis the court could direct the government not to construct a building at a particular location.
Observing that courts cannot interfere in policy decisions, the bench noted that the petitioner had filed the case without any study or stated reasons and described it as being for publicity. The petition was dismissed at the petitioner’s request.
