Apex Court pulls up Tamil Nadu Govt over strike

Severely pulling up the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government, the Supreme Court on Monday warned that if it did not comply with its order on the bandh, it would not hesitate to direct the Centre to impose President's rule.

"If there is no compliance with our order, it is complete breakdown of Constitutional machinery. We will then have to direct the government to impose President's rule," a bench headed by acting Chief Justice B N Aggarwal and Justice P Sathasivam said.

The Bench's remarks came when the counsel appearing for AIADMK mentioned that yesterday's order was not being complied with by the government and state-run buses were not plying in Tamil Nadu.

In an extraordinary sitting on Sunday, the bench stayed the bandh called by the ruling DMK front and asked the government to stop it.

"Is this a government. Is this the Tamil Nadu government. Is this the DMK government, a strong ally of UPA government? If this is attitude of the DMK government, the UPA government should not feel shy of dismissing it and imposing President rule," the bench observed.

The Bench said, if the Tamil Nadu government would not comply with its order, it would not hesitate to summon the Chief Secretary.

"You can file a contempt petition," the Bench said, when the AIADMK counsel apprised it about the situation prevailing in the state.

The DMK counsel told the court that only party leaders are sitting on fast and only some unions are involved in such activities.