Patil: SC unlikely to overturn HC verdict on Shivaji memorial

Speaking to reporters at Mantralaya (secretariat), Maharashtra minister Chandrakant Patil refuted BJP MLC Vinayak Mete's claims that officials of the PED were to be blamed for the apex court's stay on construction work of the Shivaji memorial

Maharashtra minister Chandrakant Patil on Wednesday said the Supreme Court is unlikely to overturn the Bombay High Court's verdict on the proposed Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Memorial project in the Arabian Sea here. Speaking to reporters at Mantralaya (secretariat), he refuted BJP MLC Vinayak Mete's claims that officials of the Public Works Department (PWD) were to be blamed for the apex court's stay on construction work of the project.

"The Bombay High Court gave a verdict in our favour and petitioners' case did not hold merit because of the ground work of PWD officials," said the revenue minister. The BJP minister said the HC had observed that the state government had secured all the necessary permissions and clearances before going ahead with the project and therefore turned down the plea of the Conservation Action Trust (CAT).

The trust had requested the HC to to scrap the project on the ground the state government had not taken proper environmental clearances for it. "There was no failure on our part on arguing our case before the SC. Once a petition is rejected by the HC, petitioner has the right to approach the SC. "The apex court, while listing the matter for next hearing, had ordered a stay on the construction work while stating that it will have to examine the matter," Patil said.

"Instances of SC overturning HC's orders are very rare. In this case also, the apex court will not take a contrarian view," he said. The SC Wednesday sought responses from the Centre and the Maharashtra government on a plea challenging the Bombay HC order which had refused to restrain authorities from taking steps regarding the proposed project. Advocate Nishant R Katneshwarkar, who appeared for Maharashtra, said that while issuing notice on the plea, the bench orally told him to ask the authorities not to proceed with construction activity.

Meanwhile, Patil pleaded ignorance when asked about the role of state party leaders in the alleged attempts being made by the BJP to topple the JDS-Congress in Karnataka. Patil claimed for the past two days, he has been in his office in Mantralaya and hardly moved out. Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar, who was closeted in a close-door meeting with Patil, also declined to comment on the political developments in the neighbouring state.

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