Date:05/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/05/stories/2008080554330600.htm

National

Tripathy apologises to Supreme Court

J. Venkatesan

NEW DELHI: Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary L.K. Tripathy while maintaining that the State government had not violated the Supreme Court’s order banning the bandh on October 1, 2007 on the Sethusamudram issue has tendered an unconditional apology if the court was of the view that the order had not been effectively implemented.

The Chief Secretary stated this in his affidavit filed in the Supreme Court in response to the contempt notice issued on the AIADMK’s petition alleging that the order had been violated.

Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi did not file a separate affidavit but the State counsel told the court on Monday that the Chief Minister was adopting the stand of the Chief Secretary. The then DGP, Rajendran, filed a similar affidavit tendering an unconditional apology. Mr. Tripathy said “this contemnor has got the highest regard and respect and obedience for the orders of this court and has not violated or intended to violate any of the orders passed by this court.” He said if the court was of the view that the order had not been effectively implemented, “it was not wilful and this first contemnor tenders his unconditional apology for the same and the court may be pleased to purge this contemnor from the contempt proceedings.”

He said the government received the court’s order at 10.30 pm on September 30, 2007 and instructions were issued over phone to the District Collectors regarding the measures to be taken for maintenance of law and order. He said that in view of the various steps taken, no major act of violence or incident detrimental to law and order had been reported.

He said following the interim orders of the Supreme Court, the DPA in the State decided to observe a fast on October 1, 2007.