Chennai-Salem Expressway: SC again Condemns Central on its Appeal

Supreme Court condemns the central government on failing to file documents in the Salem-Chennai Expressway case: Today 3 December, the Supreme Court condemned the central government on failing to submit reports as ordered in the Salem-Chennai Expressway case. They posted the matter again on 5 December, asking the central government counsel to file the flow chart and details.

Today the Salem-Chennai Expressway case came before the Supreme Court. The three-judge bench of S V Ramanna, MM Shantanagoudar, and Ajay Rastogi heard the case. The central government counsel asked more time to file the flow chart for the project and details. He also said they are about to file one more petition with this appeal.

On this, the judges asked the advocates of the appellants, the Tamil Nadu state government advocates, to argue the case. But the advocates said that only based on the central government's details, they could argue. The judges irritated by it said that even though three months have been given already, the central government has not filed the requisite documents.

It was only the central government saying that the case is essential and wanted an early hearing for it. But now not submitting the documents is improper, the judges said. Also, they wondered what the necessity of a new petition, when the appeal itself is not argued.

Tushar Mehta, the solicitor general of the central government in the last hearing on 22 August in the Supreme Court, said that the Salem-Chennai Expressway is of national importance. He said that the Madras High Court has erred in allowing the farmers' petition to cancel the Chennai-Salem Expressway.

He also said that taking environmental clearance first and then going for land acquisition is like putting the cart before the horse. Even after three months, the documents have not been filed by the central government in the Supreme Court for such a national importance case.