Kerala HC imposes fine on six councillors of Thrissur Corporation, lawyer

The Kerala High Court has imposed a fine of ₹10 lakh on six councillors of the Thrissur Corporation and a lawyer on the charge that they approached the court with petitions alleging irregularities in the handing over of the Corporation-owned Bini Tourist Home to an individual on lease.

The councillors must jointly pay ₹5 lakh, while the lawyer must pay ₹5 lakh within one month, ordered the Bench of Justice Amit Rawal and Justice P.V. Balakrishnan.

The court issued the direction on an appeal filed by the councillors against a single-bench order related to the leasing of the tourist home. The fine was imposed after the councillors approached the Division Bench for a second time and the lawyer approached the Ombudsman, challenging the same Single Bench order.

The court said that the petitioners and the complainant before the Ombudsman had been dragging not only the Municipal Corporation but also the successful bidder, forcing them to back out and preventing the Corporation from securing the highest bid. Such litigation, the court noted, appears biased and aimed at settling personal agendas against other councillors and the Mayor. The court must not be used as a platform to encourage such proceedings.

The court said it was a clever tactic for one party to approach the court and the other to approach the Ombudsman. Any attempt to curtail the Corporation’s right to earn revenue should not be entertained.