CHENNAI: The common scene of school children travelling precariously on footboard in government buses has prompted the First Bench of the Madras High Court to initiate suo motu PIL proceedings.
When the Bench of Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M Sundar commenced its proceedings at 10.30 am on Thursday, advocate R Y George Williams raised this issue.
Producing a bunch of newspapers in support of his point that the school children are travelling in MTC buses dangerously, he told the judges that the situation should be remedied by directing the MTC to operate more buses and special buses for students.
Accepting Williams’ submission, the Bench said, “Let a suo motu public interest litigation be registered in relation to the dangerous manner in which school children are being carried in buses operated by the transport Corporations in Tamil Nadu and list the same on November 24.”
Contempt plea against strike
Madurai: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday adjourned to December 8 a PIL, and a related contempt petition which prayed for action against government servants for not obeying a court order staying JACTTO-GEO strike. On a PIL filed by one T Sekaran, the bench had stayed an indefinite strike by JACTTO-GEO. Further, the petitioner filed a contempt petition when the strike continued even after the injunction.
Report sought on manual scavengers
Madurai: The Madras High Court Bench at Madurai has sought a report from Madurai and Virudhunagar Collectors on a petition seeking to issue identity cards to sanitary workers, including manual scavengers, in order to disburse the welfare schemes. One Sagaya Pholomenraj filed a PIL stating that according to a recent survey, it was found that Madurai district had 85 manual scavengers and Virudhunagar 169 scavengers.