Order restraining bandh will continue in TN: SC

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday said its order of restraining any form of bandh activities in Tamil Nadu on Sethusamudram project row would remain in force.

A Bench of Justices G S Singhvi and A K Ganguly said the apex court order of September 30, 2007, "will continue to be in force" until the Madras High Court determines the writ petition filed by AIADMK challenging the October 1, 2007, bandh called by DMK-front on the project.

The apex court had on September 30, 2007, stayed the bandh called by the DMK-led front government.

AIADMK has filed the SLP after the Madras High Court declined to interfere with the party's plea for restraining the ruling combine from going ahead with the bandh call over the delay in the execution of the project.

AIADMK in the SLP had contended that the proposed bandh was unconstitutional and violative of the apex court's directive on the issue.

"That's the problem in this country. We have to deal everything with an iron hand in this country. Otherwise, things will not work. Every organ, be it the legislature, the executive or the judiciary, has to deal with an iron hand," the apex court had observed while staying the bandh at that time.

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AIADMK had challenged the bandh by citing the apex court's judgement in 1998 upholding the ruling of a full bench of the Kerala High Court that calling or enforcing a bandh was illegal and unconstitutional.

The apex court had earlier held that a bandh call essentially paralysed public life and was violative of the Fundamental Rights guaranteed under Article 19 (Freedom of Speech) and Article 21 (Right To Liberty) of the Constitution.