SC notice to Tamil Nadu govt on Vedanta’s plea challenging Madras HC order on Sterlite unit

The Supreme Court on 31 August issued notice to the Tamil Nadu Government in a petition filed by Vedanta’s Sterlite Copper unit challenging the decision of the Madras High Court. The Top Court refused to allow the reopening of the copper smelter plant at Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu.

The Bench of Justices Rohinton Nariman, Navin Sinha and Indira Banerjee refused to grant any interim relief in the matter while issuing notice. The next hearing in the case would be after four weeks, when the lawyers involved may be permitted to argue on the aspect of stay.

On 18 August, the Madras High Court had dismissed the plea filed by Vedanta challenging the closure of its Sterlite copper plant at Thoothukudi in a 815-page judgment. The Madras High Court had observed that the unit had violated environmental laws and denied the company permission to reopen the unit.

Vedanta had moved the Supreme Court on 26 August challenging Madras High Court’s order.

The case was argued for 42 days in the Madras High Court beginning in December and the judgment was reserved on 8 January of this year. A division bench of the Madras High Court dismissed the 10 writ petitions filed by Vedanta against orders passed by the state government and the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board against the smelter under which they refused the company permission to reopen the unit or engage in production, disconnected electricity supplies, and sealed the premises.