HC refuses to stay TN Govt notice to drive in hotel

Chennai, Apr 16 (UNI) The Madras High Court today reserved orders while declined to grant an interim stay on a notice issued by Tamil Nadu government to the popular Drive in Woodlands Hotel here to close it down.

The Management of the restaurant had yesterday filed a petition in the High Court seeking that a Revenue Department notice to close down the hatel within three days be quashed. It also sought an interim stay of the notice.

When the petition came up for hearing before a Division Bench comprising Justices Elipe Dharma Rao and M Venugopal, the counsel appearing for the hotel management,submitted that the land was orginally taken on lease from Agri-Horticulture Society,in 1960 and the possession was ratified by the state government under an agreement on April,28,1980.

'Since the the petitioner was not a party to the case between the government and Horticultural society, the state goverment's notice to vacate the land was null and void', the counsel submitted.

After hearing the submissions the Bench reserved its orders.

UNI XR VV RP ND2055