Why officials should not be punished for negligence, asks HC

CHENNAI: A division bench of Madras High Court questioned why the Greater Chennai Corporation officicals, who failed to remove the illegal occupants from corporation land, should not be suspended from services.

The bench comprising of Justices S Vaidyanathan and R Hemalatha made the observation on hearing a petition filed by one Raveendra Ram.

The petitioner sought action against GCC Commissioner, engineer Radhakrishnan and assistant engineer Parthiban for not complying with the 2020 order of the court to remove an encroachment made by private people in Erukkanchery.

When the matter was taken for hearing, the judges questioned the inaction of officers for not taking action despite the court orders. The court expressed its dissatisfaction saying why the respondent officers should not be suspended for not following the court orders.

The case of the petitioner was against the Sathyanathan, and Chitra, residents of Erukkanchery who allegedly occupied a road and made constructions. Therefore, Ram filed a petition to remove the illegal constructions.

According to the contempt petitioner, since the GCC informed the writ court that the lock and seal notice had been issued on August 28, 2020, which was scheduled to expire on September 27, 2020, and thereafter, the consequential follow-up action would be taken and based on the said submission, his petition was closed.