High court imposes ₹1lakh as cost on Madras Race Club

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai: 24.11.2020 

The Madras high court has imposed ₹1 lakh as cost on Madras Race Club for passing a resolution to circumvent a court order and thereby disqualifying Dr M A M Ramaswamy Chettiar of Chettinad Charitable Trust from owning any horse.

“The order of the stewards committee of the club is bad because they have been encouraged to usurp judicial power,” Justice C V Karthikeyan said. “A kangaroo congregation had apparently been convened with the sole aim to circumvent the letter and spirit of the order passed by the court…” the judge added.

The court passed the order while allowing an application moved by the trust seeking direction to the club to register new horses acquired by the trust and grant them permission for entering club premises to undertake training.

“Let the club at least participate in the noble cause of extending their hand to provide relief to unfortunate patients undergoing treatment in government hospital and thereby, to a small extent purge themselves of the act of disregarding the orders of this court,” the judge said while directing the club to pay the cost to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital. The issue pertains to refusal of permission by the club management for the trust to participate in horse races citing a dispute over ownership and registration of horses bequeathed from late M A M Ramaswamy.

In January, a single judge of the court passed an interim order directing the club to permit the trust to participate in the races. Subsequently, on February 13, the trust sent a letter to the club seeking permission for four of its newly acquired horses and their trainers to enter the race club. However, the plea was rejected on the ground that the stewards committee of the club has passed a resolution on March 7 amending the definition of owner under the rules of the club.