SC dismisses petition against change of Tamil new year

New Delhi, Jul 8 (UNI) The Supreme Court today dismissed as infructuous a petition challenging a bill brought by the Tamil Nadu government changing Tamil new year day from April 14 to Janurary 15.

A bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justices P Sathasivam and J M Panchal, however, waived off a cost of Rs 10000 imposed on the petitioner Ramaswami alias Traffic Ramaswami.

When the petition was earlier filed in the High Court, it was only a bill, not the Act. But now it has been passed by the state Assembly and Governor Surjit Singh Barnala has given his assent and notified by the Karunanidhi government.

The apex court told the petitioner to approach the High Court first for challenging the Constitutional validity of the Act.

UNI SC SW HT1632