Chennai: Dismissing a public interest litigation filed by social activist Traffic Ramaswamy, Madras High Court has warned that in future, exemplary costs will be imposed for frivolous Public Interest Litigations, which do not concern the public at large.
The First Bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Abdul Quddhose dismissed the PIL from Ramaswamy, which sought to take serious action against officials who have allowed erection of banners along the road from the DGP office in Rajaji Salai to Anna Circle on Mount Road.
The bench said from the representation annexed to the typed set of papers, it appears that the President of India, the Governor of Tamil Nadu, the Chief Justice of India (referred to as Chief Judge), the Chief Justice of this high court (referred to as Chief Judge), the Chief Secretary and the Home Secretary have been requested to take serious action against the officials, who have allowed erection of banners along the road from the DGP office in Rajaji Salai to Anna Circle on Mount Road. “We are informed that all banners have been removed and no banners are there,”the bench added.
The bench said in a writ petition, the onus was on the petitioner to establish his entitlement to the reliefs claimed. Counsel appearing for the petitioner has not referred to any provision under which criminal action can be taken for setting up of posters containing pictures of politicians. There were also no details at all with regard to the alleged violation of rules in putting up of banners. The persons allegedly guilty of dereliction of duty or connivance have not been named. Such vague writ petitions cannot be entertained. The court has serious matters to deal with. Such vague and frivolous writ petitions which consume the court's time should be discouraged with exemplary costs. “It is warned that in future exemplary costs shall be imposed for frivolous so called public interest litigations, which do not concern the public at large. The writ petition is dismissed, but without costs”, the bench added.
