The Hindu 12.08.2010
Bench quashes order of Corporation Commissioner
Mohamed Imranullah S.
| For denying nod to AIADMK for using Tamukkam Grounds |
To conduct a party meeting between September 18 and 21
Corporation received money under a receipt on July 21 along with NOCs
MADURAI: The Madras High Court Bench here on Wednesday quashed an order passed by the Madurai Corporation Commissioner on July 21 refusing permission for All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) to use the Tamukkam Grounds here for conducting a party meeting between September 18 and 21.
Allowing a writ petition filed by Sellur K. Raju, Madurai Urban District Secretary of AIADMK, Justice M. Jeyapaul directed the corporation commissioner to grant permission after receiving Rs.63,371 which was originally deposited with the civic body on July 21 but refunded to the petitioner on the same day after the commissioner decided not to hire the grounds.
The judge agreed with the petitioner's counsel P.H. Pandian that his client would gain priority over any other person/organisation wanting to use the grounds because he was the first to pay the rental charges. The corporation too had received the money under a receipt on July 21 along with the
No Objection Certificates issued by the Collector, Police Commissioner and the Fire Department.
Mr. Justice Jeyapaul rejected the averments made in a counter affidavit filed on behalf of the Corporation that one of its clerks had received the money from the petitioner without being aware of the fact that the civic body itself had decided to organise a medical camp for its sanitary workers at the Tamukkam grounds between September 17 and 22.
In his affidavit, the petitioner claimed that he had fixed the dates for the meeting, to be presided over by his party general secretary Jayalalithaa and attended by leaders from southern districts, only after confirming the availability of the venue. However, the civic body made a flip flop at the last moment and rejected permission due to political pressure, he alleged.
