Date:06/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/06/stories/2008030654931300.htm

National

Swamy gets time to file reply

Legal Correspondent

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy and other petitioners time to file their rejoinder to the Centre’s affidavit, which said it was not feasible to consider an alignment alternative to the existing one for the Sethusamudram project.

When the matter was taken up by a Bench comprising Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Justices R. V. Raveendran and J.M. Panchal, Dr. Swamy and the others sought time for filing a reply.

When senior counsel M.N. Krishnamani, appearing for Rama Gopalan sought eight weeks, senior counsel Fali Nariman and Additional Solicitor-General R. Mohan, appearing for the Centre, said the government had filed an application for vacating the interim stay on dredging across Adam’s Bridge (Ramar Sethu) so that the project could be implemented. Mr. Nariman wanted the matter heard in April. Dr. Swamy agreed with his suggestion.

Acting on Dr. Swamy’s application, the court on August 31, 2007 restrained the Centre and the Sethusamudram Corporation from causing damage to Adam’s Bridge, while permitting dredging to continue.