HC dismisses appeals by Vijayakant, wife

Chennai, Feb 23 (UNI) Madras High Court today dismissed appeals filed by DMDK Founder President and actor-politician Vijayakant and his wife, against a single judge's order, dismissing their petitions challenging the centre's demolition of the marriage hall owned by them in Koyambedu.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice A P Shah and Justice K Chandru dismissed appeals filed by Vijayakant and his wife Premalatha against a single judge's order dated February 16, challenging the Centre's move to demolish the marriage hall and acquire their lands for constructing a grade separator.

The bench, granting four weeks time to the appellants to hand over the possession, said there were no grounds to interfere with the single judge's order. When the notification for land acquisition was issued, there was no objection from the appellants. On the basis of the statement of Union Minister T R Baalu, an alternative proposal was sent on March 3, 2006.

This alternative proposal was considered by the Union Government and other authorities but they rejected it after finding it not feasible and so, there was no malafide, the bench added.

The bench said the acquisition proposal came much before the DMDK party was launched. So there was no political motive.

UNI