With the Chennai Corporation and the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association failing to arrive at a consensus in the Supreme Court over the use of the I, J and K stands in the M.A. Chidambaram stadium on Friday, the stalemate continues.
A bench of Justices Ranjana Desai and N.V. Ramana made it clear to counsel for TNCA Radha Rangasamy, senior counsel Ranjit Kumar for the MCC and Additional Advocate-General Subramonium Prasad and counsel B. Balaji that the matter would now go to July beyond summer vacation. Justice Desai said “if there is consensus you can approach the vacation court.”
On May 7 a joint memo was filed by the TNCA and the Chennai Corporation incorporating certain conditions to be met by the TNCA to enable the lock and seal to be removed and to allow the three stands to be put to use for IPL matches. However, even as the order was being dictated, certain differences could not be settled and the Bench without passing the order adjourned the matter.
During the resumed hearing on Friday, Mr. Prasad said he had instructions to say that in view of safety considerations without the completion certificate ‘K’ stand could not be used even temporarily for housing the gymnasium to facilitate the demolition of the gymnasium building of the MCC to the extent of 12 metres. He said “I, J, K stands are yet to be regularised. If some calamity happens we will be held responsible.”
Justice Ranjana Desai told the TNCA counsel “there are serious violations. They say if the stand collapses then there are safety considerations. This court should not be seen as endorsing the violations. There is a complete procedure in what manner you [TNCA] are required to rectify the defects.”
When TNCA counsel said the first IPL match of this season was to be held on May 18, Justice Desai said “we are also sport lovers, but we can’t be seen as approving violations as it will be seen as a precedent.”
