Dismissing a petition that alleged Transport Corporation buses were being halted at motels located on highways for getting food free of cost for crew members, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has warned the petitioner not to file public interest litigation petitions of this nature henceforth.
A Division Bench of Justices G. Jayachandran and K.K. Ramakrishnan dismissed the petition filed by A.M. Sundaravel of Tirunelveli. If he continues to file public interest litigation of this nature, he will be prohibited from filing any public interest litigation in future, the court said.
The allegation of the petitioner, appearing as party-in-person, was that in Madurai to Tiruchi and Madurai to Tirunelveli routes, Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation buses were being halted at motels by the crew members only to get free food. He sought a direction to the authorities not to halt the buses at these motels. The passengers were put to mental agony because of halting of buses, he said.
The court said there was no merit in the petition. On a long-distance route, buses were halted to give some relief to crew members and passengers to let them have some snacks or food of their choice and also to answer nature’s calls. The larger interest of the passengers was predominant. The allegation of the petitioner that motel managements were providing food to the crew members free of cost in return for halting the buses is mischievous and condemnable. “Hence, we are not inclined to entertain this writ petition,” the judges said.
Published – February 17, 2026 08:37 pm IST
