The Madras High Court on Wednesday ordered notice to the State government on a petition opposing the shifting of the Secretariat and Assembly from the new complex at Omandurar government estate back to Fort St George.
The petition, filed by G. Krishnamurthy, an advocate, came up before a Vacation Bench, comprising Justices S. Rajeswaran and K.B.K. Vasuki, for admission.
S. Venkatesan, counsel for the State government, took notice on behalf of the Chief Secretary and the Public Works Department Secretary, the first and second respondents.
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A. Navaneethakrishnan, counsel for All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary Jayalalithaa, the third respondent, took notice on her behalf. He wanted Ms. Jayalalithaa's name to be deleted from the petition. The Bench, which adjourned the hearing to June 15, observed during the course of submissions by the parties that there appeared to be no official order for the shifting of the Secretariat and wondered whether it could act on the basis of newspaper reports. The petitioner has opposed the shifting, contending that it was against public interest and that it would be a waste of money as a huge expenditure was incurred in building the next Assembly at the Omandurar estate.