The public interest writ petition challenging construction of a new arch at MGR Memorial on the Marina was dismissed as withdrawn by the Madras High Court on Monday. When the PIL came up before a division bench comprising Justices R Banumathi and R Subbiah today, Government Pleader S Venkatesh and Special Government Pleader I S Inbadurai submitted that the petition was not maintainable as the petitioner A G Narasimhan of Namakka district had no locus standi to file the petition. He had also suppressed the fact that he was an office-bearer of the DMK in Salem district.
Petitioner had not come with clean hands and the petition was politically motivated, they told the judges. When the bench told the petitioner to file a counter in writing to the effect that he did not belong to any poltical party, petitioner opted to withdraw the petition. The bench dismissed it as withdrawn.
The petitioner had contended that an expenditure of `3.4 crore for the construction of the new arch would serve no purpose to the common man.