Madras High Court Dismisses AIADMK Whip's Plea Against Assembly Amendment to Mekedatu Resolution

The Madras High Court on Wednesday, September 23, dismissed a petition filed by the AIADMK whip in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, former Minister Agri S.S. Krishnamurthy, seeking to quash an amendment made to an Assembly resolution on the Mekedatu project.

The resolution had opposed Karnataka's proposal to build a balancing reservoir at Mekedatu across the Cauvery, and had called for the constitution of a new tribunal.

The First Bench of Chief Justice S.A. Dharmadhikari and Justice G. Arul Murugan held that the court could not interfere in the affairs of the Legislative Assembly, and that Article 212 of the Constitution bars a challenge to the internal proceedings of the House.

The Bench also held that members who remain silent when an amendment is proposed and put to vote cannot approach a court weeks later to challenge the manner in which it was adopted.

The petition had challenged the amendment on procedural grounds.