Sethu project: court adjourns hearing on Swamy’s plea

The Supreme Court on Tuesday adjourned to January 16, 2008 hearing on a batch of petitions filed by Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy and others challenging the implementation of the Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project.
A three-Judge Bench of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, Justice R.V. Raveendran and Justice J.M. Panchal, adjourned the hearing as the Centre sought further time to file its response.
Additional Solicitor-General R. Mohan, appearing for the Sethusamudram Corporation, told the Bench that the government was examining the report of the expert committee and some more time was required to file the response. When counsel for some of the petitioners wanted the court to direct the Centre to give copies of the committee’s report, the CJI told them: “We have not appointed the committee. We only allowed them to set up the committee. They may or may not accept the report. You challenge if any decision is taken.”
Dr. Swamy told the Bench: “I had filed an application urging the court to take suo motu contempt of court proceedings against K. Veeramani, President of the Dravidar Kazhagam for writing a letter to the CJI asking him not to entrust the Sethusamudram case to a Bench headed by Justice B.N. Agrawal [it was this Bench that said that Ramar Sethu should not be destroyed].”
He alleged that the DK President, by writing a letter to the CJI, had interfered with the administration of justice.