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High Court Dismisses Petition Against New Secretariat Construction

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News18•05-10-2026, 13:53
High Court Dismisses Petition Against New Secretariat Construction
- •The High Court has dismissed the petition filed against the construction of the new Secretariat in Pattinapakkam, Chennai.
- •The petitioner argued that building a new Secretariat would waste public money during a financial crisis and affect housing schemes for the poor.
- •The bench comprising Chief Justice S.A. Dharmadhikari and Justice G. Arulmurugan questioned the legal basis of the petition.
- •Following the court's remarks, the petitioner sought permission to withdraw the case, leading to its dismissal.
Key Questions Answered
The Madras High Court dismissed the petition after the petitioner sought permission to withdraw it during the hearing before the Chief Justice's bench.
The petitioner argued that the Rs 1,200 crore project wastes public money during a financial crisis, impacts housing schemes for the poor, affects fishermen's welfare, and makes public access difficult compared to the current location.
The judges pointed out that a similar 2011 challenge against a new Secretariat project was dismissed because the court could not interfere with government policy decisions, and noted the Supreme Court similarly refused to intervene against the new Parliament building construction.




