Judgment

Nanavati, J.-Leave granted. Heard learned counsel for the parties.

2. The appellant is the wife of one Selvam who has been detained as a Goonda under Tamil Nadu Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Bootleg­gers, Drug Offenders, Forest Offenders, Goondas, Immoral Traffic Offenders and Slum Grabbers Act, 1982. The Commissioner of Police, Chennai City, on being satisfied that Selvam was involved in activi­ties prejudicial to the maintenance of public order and with a view to preventing him from acting in the said prejudicial manner it was necessary to detain him, passed an order of detention on 23.8.97.

3. The appellant challenged that order before the High Court of Judi­cature at Madras but her petition failed. She has, therefore, filed this appeal.

4. What is contention by the learned counsel for the appellant is that there was unreasonable delay on the part of the Government in consid­ering the detenu’s representation and, therefore, his continued deten­tion is illegal. The detenu had made a representation on 7.10.97.

The Governor’s Secretariat received it on 14.10.97. It was despatched to the Government on 15.10.97. It called for remarks of the detaining authority on 17.10.97