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2021 Supreme(Mad) 1652

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
S.M. SUBRAMANIAM, J.
M. Veeraraghavan - Petitioner
Versus
The Home Secretary Government of Tamilnadu Secretariat, Chennai & Others - Respondents
W.P. No. 23140 of 2014 & M.P. Nos. 1 & 2 of 2014
Decided On : 07-10-2021

Advocates Appeared:
For the Petitioner: P.S. Amal Raj.
For the Respondents:K.M.D. Muhilan, Government Advocate.

Headnote:

Constitution of India,1950 – Article 51-A and 226 - Tamil Nadu Highways Act, 2001 - Section 28(2) - Erected a statue - Writ of Certiorari has been instituted to quash notice issued by third respondent in proceedings - Notice impugned contemplates that any violation of Rules and guidelines issued for maintenance of Meikkal poramboke and without getting any permission from competent authority, petitioner along with some persons erected a statue of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar - Under those circumstances, authority competent directed for the removal of the said statue - Learned counsel for petitioner made a submission that said statue of the great leader is not affected public at large in that locality and therefore, said statue must be allowed to remain in same place - Whether permanent or temporary in nature, encroaching the highway or in area vested with Government under this Act, after issuing a show cause notice against such removal, returnable within a period of seven days from date of receipt thereof – Held, This issue in opinion of this Court is continuing for several years, though political parties both in ruling power and in opposition have not effectively made an attempt to solve it in manner known to law and to honour the constitutional mandates - Constitution of India is resolved by, we people of India - Thus, people of India, who elected the Government, would have right to expect from Government to implement constitutional mandates - Thus, the interest of the people at large must be of paramount importance for Government of the day - With these directions, writ petition stands disposed of - Consequently, connected miscellaneous petition is closed.

JUDGMENT :

(Prayer: Writ petition is filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, for issuance of a Writ of Certiorari to call for the entire records connected with the impugned notice issued by the 3rd respondent in Na.Ka.P1/Pa.Ve.154/2014 dated 21.08.2014 and quash the same.)

The Writ of Certiorari has been instituted to quash the notice issued by the third respondent in proceedings dated 21.08.2014. The notice impugned contemplates that any violation of the Rules and guidelines issued for maintenance of Meikkal poramboke and without getting any permission from the competent authority, the petitioner along with some persons erected a statue of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. Under those circumstances, the authority competent directed for the removal of the said statue.

2. The petitioner states that he is residing in Kainoor Kandigai Village, Arakkonam Taluk and is a practising Advocate and a law abiding citizen. The petitioner claims himself as a social activist. A resolution was passed to install Dr. B.R. Ambedkar statue in the Kainoor Kandigai Village in the panchayat meeting headed by the Village Panchayat President. In view of the fact that the Village Panchayat has passed a resolution and erected a statue, the order impugned is perverse and is liable to be set aside.

3. The learned counsel for the petitioner made a submission that the said statue of the great leader is not affected the public at large in that locality and therefore, the said statue must be allowed to remain in the same place.

4. Per contra, the learned Government counsel appearing on behalf of the respondents has stated that the statue is erected in the Meikkal poramboke and without obtaining permission from the competent authorities. Thus, it is not only in violation of Statute and Rules, but in violation of the directions issued by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India as well as the Hon’ble Division Bench of the High Court of Madras. Thus, there is no infirmity as such in respect of the order impugned passed by the authorities.

5. The learned Government counsel appearing on behalf of the respondents reiterated that the State Government has not granted any permission for construction of Statues in any form or structures in public places including the Highways and Roads, after an interim order passed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in the year 2012. Therefore, any construction of statue, structures or buildings in the Government property Meikkal poramboke or otherwise is not authorized or permitted by the Government and in such circumstances, the authorities competent have to issue notice and initiate appropriate action for the purpose of replacement or removal, as the case may be, in order to uphold the provisions of the Statute and in implementation of the order passed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India.

6. The written instructions furnished by the Tahsildar, Arakkonam to the Government Pleader, High Court also reveals that the order impugned was passed pursuant to the orders of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in SLP (Civil) No.8519 of 2006 dated 18.01.2013. Thus, the authorities have no option but to implement the orders of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India and therefore, there is no infirmity as such in respect of the order impugned. In the very same instructions, the Tahsildar has categorically stated that the said statue is the subject matter in the present writ petition has not been removed, in view of the interim order passed in the present writ petition. Thus, the authorities have not committed any lapses and they are vigilant in implementing the orders of the Supreme Court as well as the Government guidelines and the Statutes in force. However, the irregularity committed by the petitioner in this regard cannot be condoned in violation of the orders of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India. Thus, the writ petition is liable to be rejected.

7. The spirit of the judgment of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India and the judgments of the Division Bench of

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