Money spent on Secretariat complex a national waste: HC
Mohamed Imranullah S.
CHENNAI, October 02, 2018 00:00 IST
A costly affair:The Assembly Secretariat complex, which was subsequently turned into a multi-speciality hospital.
‘Penal action should be taken against those responsible for losses’
The Madras High Court on Monday termed as a “national waste,” the Rs. 1,200 crore spent on construction of a new Secretariat complex in Chennai during the 2006-11 DMK regime, the additional funds spent by the AIADMK government to convert the complex into a hospital and another Rs. 4.5 crore sanctioned by it for a Commission of Inquiry constituted to probe into alleged irregularities in the construction.
Justice S.M. Subramaniam said: “Such a situation is not only painful but also a matter of national concern because tax payers’ money had been spent detrimental to the interest of the public at large. This court is of the considered opinion that once an elected government starts functioning, its policy decisions and expenditures must be beyond political ideologies. All expenditures must be only in accordance with the constitutional principles.”
He went on to elaborate that the Constitution expected the administrators to protect tax payers’ money and spend it judiciously only for people’s welfare. “The government should not only be responsible but also accountable. Any unlawful loss caused in respect of the tax payers’ money should not only be questioned by the appropriate authorities but also acted upon by prosecuting persons responsible for the loss under the penal laws,” the judge observed.
Files with DVAC
The observations were made while dismissing as withdrawn cases filed by DMK president M.K. Stalin and treasurer Duraimurugan in 2015 challenging the constitution of the commission headed by former High Court judge R. Regupathi. Mr. Justice Subramaniam had on August 3 directed the government to suspend the commission because it had not made any headway since 2011 despite more than Rs. 4.5 crore having been spent on its functioning.
Subsequently, Advocate General Vijay Narayan reported to the court that former judge Regupathi himself had demitted office on August 24 and the government had decided not to continue the commission by appointing any other retired judge. He also said that all files related to the alleged irregularities in the construction of the Secretariat complex had been forwarded to the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) for necessary action.
After recording his submissions, the judge said: “Any further action must be taken without any undue delay on the part of the authorities concerned... In one way or the other, the issues are prolonged and protracted against the common interest.”
Mohamed Imranullah S.
CHENNAI, October 02, 2018 00:00 IST
A costly affair:The Assembly Secretariat complex, which was subsequently turned into a multi-speciality hospital.
‘Penal action should be taken against those responsible for losses’
The Madras High Court on Monday termed as a “national waste,” the Rs. 1,200 crore spent on construction of a new Secretariat complex in Chennai during the 2006-11 DMK regime, the additional funds spent by the AIADMK government to convert the complex into a hospital and another Rs. 4.5 crore sanctioned by it for a Commission of Inquiry constituted to probe into alleged irregularities in the construction.
Justice S.M. Subramaniam said: “Such a situation is not only painful but also a matter of national concern because tax payers’ money had been spent detrimental to the interest of the public at large. This court is of the considered opinion that once an elected government starts functioning, its policy decisions and expenditures must be beyond political ideologies. All expenditures must be only in accordance with the constitutional principles.”
He went on to elaborate that the Constitution expected the administrators to protect tax payers’ money and spend it judiciously only for people’s welfare. “The government should not only be responsible but also accountable. Any unlawful loss caused in respect of the tax payers’ money should not only be questioned by the appropriate authorities but also acted upon by prosecuting persons responsible for the loss under the penal laws,” the judge observed.
Files with DVAC
The observations were made while dismissing as withdrawn cases filed by DMK president M.K. Stalin and treasurer Duraimurugan in 2015 challenging the constitution of the commission headed by former High Court judge R. Regupathi. Mr. Justice Subramaniam had on August 3 directed the government to suspend the commission because it had not made any headway since 2011 despite more than Rs. 4.5 crore having been spent on its functioning.
Subsequently, Advocate General Vijay Narayan reported to the court that former judge Regupathi himself had demitted office on August 24 and the government had decided not to continue the commission by appointing any other retired judge. He also said that all files related to the alleged irregularities in the construction of the Secretariat complex had been forwarded to the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) for necessary action.
After recording his submissions, the judge said: “Any further action must be taken without any undue delay on the part of the authorities concerned... In one way or the other, the issues are prolonged and protracted against the common interest.”
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