Thread by @barandbench

#MadrasHC disposes of PILs against Vel Yatra which was proposed to be taken by BJP between Nov 6-30 with liberty to BJP TN Unit to challenge Govt rejection of the application made for permission conduct the Yatra.

During the hearing today, AG Vijay Narayan informed Madras HC that the State has decided to reject the application for the conduct of the Vel Yatra in the public interest in view of the COVID-19 Govt orders as well as the threat of a law and order situation

AG Vijay Narayan had added that the State is in the process of finalizing and communicating the reply.

The petitioners had approached HC on apprehensions that the Vel Yatra was being conducted for political mileage and was likely to create communal unrest and spread COVID-19

They pointed out that the Yatra was scheduled to end on Dec 6 when the #babrimasjid demolition took place.

Appearing for BJP State President, L Murugan, Adv V Ragavachari opposed the petitions as premature. He argued that the State ought to hear the applicant first before rejecting permission rather than informing its decision before the Court for the first time.

Ragavachari: Did they hear me at any point of time before taking a conscious decision? I am not going to violate any of the pandemic conditions that they may impose.

The Madras HC Bench of CJ AP Sahi and Justice P Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy, however, took note of AG's submission that there was an Oct 31 GO which stated that religious/other congregations would be permitted only after Nov 16, with a maximum of 100 persons participating.

While disposing of the PILs, Court also noted that this GO has not been challenged.