G MURUGAN Vs. GOVERNMENT OF TAMIL NADU

JUDGEMENT

(1.) HEARD Mr.Isaac Mohanlal, the learned counsel for Ms.S.Bharathy Kannan, the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner and Ms.V.Chellammal, the Additional Advocate General for Mr.S.C.Herold Singh, the learned Government Advocate, appearing on behalf of the respondents 1 to 3. No appearance on behalf of the fourth respondent.

(2.) SINCE the issues arising in the writ petitions are common and the reliefs sought for therein are of a similar nature, a common order is passed in the above writ petitions.

(3.) IT has been stated that the writ petition has been filed on behalf of the members of the petitioner Association, whose names are found in the list of the members filed in the typed set of papers, along with the writ petition. IT has been stated that the members of the petitioner Association are registered class I contractors of the Highways Department. As such, they are eligible to obtain work contracts, through tender, within the State of Tamil Nadu, for the works having the value of over Rs.75,00,000. The Superintending Engineer Highways, Tirunelveli, the third respondent in the writ petitions, is the authority for the registration of class IV and class I contractors and the Divisional Engineer is the authority for the registration of class Versus contractors. In the District of Kanyakumari, there are nearly 70 class I contractors and 27 of them are members of the petitioner Association.