1. This petition is one filed by the learned Advocate General, under a rarely invoked statute, the Madias Vexatious Litigation (Prevention) Act, 1949 (hereinafter referred to as "the Act"). The prayer is to pass an order tinder S.2 of the Act against the respondent Sri. T.A. Rajendran.

2. The essence of the averments in the petition is that the respondent is indulging in vexatious litigation. It is alleged that the respondent has no ostensible means of livelihood or a fixed place of abode, and earns his livelihood by blackmailing; though the respondent styles himself as an Editor, no publication of any paper is really made by him. Reference has been made to the litigations unsuccessfully initiated by him, H writ petitions in 1984, 5 in 1985 and 1 in 1986 all in the High Court; two criminal cases in the Magistrate Court, one of which was carried to the High Court. It is asserted that the respondent has become a menace to the society and the public.

3. The petition states:

"If the respondent is allowed to indulge in launching prosecutions and other legal proceedings against innocent and respectable people, nobody could pursue his life peacefully"

(Buckley L. J. said:

"The expr