CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has imposed costs on a petitioner for abusing the process of law and directed to pay the amount to the legal services authority. “Considering the fact that the petitioner has suppressed the fact regarding filing of earlier writ petition, which was dismissed by the Madurai bench, and further, the business activities of the first respondent at Thanjavur was closed even before passing of the termination order in the year 2013, the grounds raised in the present writ petition are unacceptable,” Justice SM Subramaniam held.
“More so, petitioner is liable for abuse of judicial process and accordingly, the writ petition stands dismissed with the cost of Rs 50,000 which is to be paid to the High Court Legal Services Authority,” he ordered on Wednesday while dismissing the petition.
The petitioner Jessi Florence was awarded the sales rights of a fruits and juice stall in Thanjavur by the Himachal Pradesh Horticulture Marketing and Processing Corporation. However, the corporation terminated the sales rights to her on March 8, 2013, following which, she moved the Madurai bench of the HC, which dismissed her petition in April 10, 2013. Yet, within 20 days, she filed another petition before the Chennai bench of the Madras High Court.