Notice issued on plea accusing pawnbrokers of violating rules

Alleging that pawnbrokers in the State were not following the rules and regulations, a former deputy manager (vigilance) of Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation moved a public interest litigation before the Madras High Court on Tuesday.

When the petition came up before it for hearing, the first bench of Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy issued a notice to the State government, asking it to file its response within two weeks.

G Subramaniam, a resident of Pollachi, filed the PIL alleging that the pawnbrokers were not complying with the sections of Tamil Nadu Pawn Brokers Act, 1943.

“As per Section 12 of the Tamil Nadu Pawn Brokers Act, 1943, while bringing the pledged property to the auction, they have to advertise for the auction and it should contain the pawn broker’s name and place. It should have the date on which the pledges are pawned along with the pawn date, time and place of auction. However, pawnbrokers are not following these rules and regulations,” Subramaniam submitted through his counsel.

He added that as per the information he had, a single pawnbroker in the western part of the State had auctioned 100 to 500 pledged items on a single day without following the rules. “The auction should be held before Revenue officials in the cadre of deputy Tahsildar. However, no such officials are available during the time of auctions,” the petitioner noted.

Recording the submissions, the bench asked the government to file its counter within two weeks.