The Hindu : New Delhi News : Chiru meeting runs into legal trouble

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Thursday, Aug 21, 2008
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New Delhi

Chiru meeting runs into legal trouble

J. Venkatesan

Apex court to hear petition seeking withdrawal of permission to hold meeting at Avilala Tank

Petition refers to court directive to preserve Avilala Tank area
Court to hear caveat filed by Chiranjeevi’s counsel before passing any order

New Delhi: The Supreme Court is likely to hear on Thursday an application from Intellectual Forum seeking a direction to the Andhra Pradesh government to withdraw the permission granted to actor Chiranjeevi for holding a public meeting to launch his political party at Avilala tank area in Tirupati on August 26.

Meanwhile, Mr. Chiranjeevi also filed a caveat and the court will also hear his counsel before any order is passed on the application.

The applicant said that when the State government tried to develop the tank area, the Supreme Court had restrained it from allowing any construction and said the tank should be preserved. Despite the prohibition imposed by the court not to allow any construction activity in the area and not to cause any damage to the surroundings in any manner, the State government had granted permission to actor Chiranjeevi to hold a public meeting in the tank area.

Threat to greenery

The application submitted that newspapers had reported that the meeting would be held on August 26 and the authorities were clearing the greenery in that area and about 10 lakh were expected to attend the meeting. If this meeting was conducted the entire greenery would be destroyed.

It said that damage was already being done to change the geographical structure by using men and machinery on a large scale.

‘Against orders’

The Forum pointed out that if permission was granted once to hold a public meeting in that area it would become a routine feature to grant similar permissions for others for commercial purposes like exhibitions.

It would be contrary to the letter and spirit of the Supreme Court’s February 2006 judgment directing the government to preserve the tank area and the purpose of the apex court’s intervention would be defeated.

The Forum sought a direction to the State government to withdraw the permission granted to actor Chiranjeevi’s party to hold a meeting and to permanently restrain the authorities from granting any permission in future.

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