Madras High Court
Uppala Thozhilalar Sangham vs Mr.C.Raghu on 7 February, 2025
Author: N.Anand Venkatesh
Bench: N.Anand Venkatesh
Contempt Petition No.3822 of 2024
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED : 07.02.2025
CORAM
THE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE N.ANAND VENKATESH
Contempt Petition No.3822 of 2024
Uppala Thozhilalar Sangham
Rep.by its General Secretary
M.Ramadoss ... Petitioner
-Vs-
1.Mr.C.Raghu
Deputy Salt Commissioner
O/o Deputy Salt Commissioner
Government of India
706, Shastri Bhavan
Chennai 600 034.
2.Mr.Sandeep Nanduri, IAS
Managing Director
Tamil Nadu Industrial Development
Corporation Ltd., 19, Marshalls Road
Chennai 600 008.
3.The Ennore Port Trust
Rep.by its Managing Director
Mrs.J.P.Irene Cynthia, IAS
Madras Port Trust, Rajaji Salai
Chennai 600 001
(Name changed as M/s.Kamarajar Port Ltd.) ... Respondents
Prayer : Contempt Petition under Section 11 of the Contempt of Courts Act, praying
to punish the respondents for willful disobedience of the order dated 26.02.2004
passed in W.P.No.8006 of 2000.
For Petitioner : Mr.G.Muthu
https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis
Page 1 of 4
Contempt Petition No.3822 of 2024
ORDER
This Contempt Petition has been filed on the ground that the order passed by this Court in W.P.No.8006 of 2000 dated 26.02.2004 has not been complied with.
2. It is seen from records that even subsequent to the above order, yet another writ petition was filed before this Court in W.P.No.14169 of 2009 and that writ petition was disposed of by issuing certain directions on 23.11.2015.
3. The present contempt petition has been moved in the year 2024, which is 25 years after the earlier order was passed and nearly 10 years after the subsequent order was passed. Section 20 of the Contempt of Courts Act provides for a limitation period of one year. This Court has held that the Contempt Petition must be filed within one year from the date of contempt and thereafter, it should not be entertained. Even insofar as suo-motu contempt is concerned, the Apex Court has held that the High Court must initiate such contempt within one year. Useful reference can be made to the judgment of the Apex Court in Maheshwari Peri and Others -vs- High Court of Judicature at Allahabad and Another (2016) 4 MLJ Criminal 262. Reference can also be made to the subsequent judgment in P.Muruganandam -vs- J.Thirugnanam reported in 2018(1) CTC 194. https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis Page 2 of 4 Contempt Petition No.3822 of 2024
4. In view of the above, this Contempt Petition is barred by limitation and accordingly the same is dismissed.
07.02.2025 Index : Yes/No Neutral Citation : Yes/No KST To
1.Mr.C.Raghu Deputy Salt Commissioner O/o Deputy Salt Commissioner Government of India 706, Shastri Bhavan Chennai 600 034.
2.Mr.Sandeep Nanduri, IAS Managing Director Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation Ltd., 19, Marshalls Road Chennai 600 008.
3.The Ennore Port Trust Rep.by its Managing Director Mrs.J.P.Irene Cynthia, IAS Madras Port Trust, Rajaji Salai Chennai 600 001 (Name changed as M/s.Kamarajar Port Ltd.) https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis Page 3 of 4 Contempt Petition No.3822 of 2024 N.ANAND VENKATESH, J.
KST Contempt Petition No.3822 of 2024 07.02.2025 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis Page 4 of 4