Kerala High Court Closes Adani Vizhinjam Port's Petition Seeking Police Protection

The Kerala High Court on Monday closed the petition filed by Adani Vizhinjam Port Pvt Ltd and its contracting company Howe Engineering Projects for police protection of their employees and workers at the under-construction port, which had till recently faced protests. 

Justice Anu Sivaraman made the interim order dated September 1 for workers' protection and free ingress and egress to the construction site absolute.  

"Though affidavits have been placed on record by the contesting respondents, in view of the fact that the question with regard to the viability of the project or the award of contracts are not matters being considered by this Court in these proceedings, all other contentions of the parties are left open to be decided in appropriate proceedings", the Court added. 

It was informed by the counsel for the petitioners today that no obstruction was being caused any more at the site.

The Court had, on September 1 allowed the petition for police protection and observed that there could not be any doubt that "the right to agitate or protest against any matter including the apathy or neglect of the Government cannot confer any right either on respondents 11 to 25 or any of the protesters to contend that they have a right to obstruct the activities which have due permissions or to trespass into the project site and cause damage to public property".

On December 7, the Court had also closed the contempt case alleging wilful disobedience of the above order granting police protection to employees and workmen of Adani Vizhinjam Port for free ingress and egress to the construction site, after it was told that the protests had been called off. 

Advocates Roshen D. Alexander, Tina Alex Thomas, Harimohan M., Roshen & Roshen Advocates appeared on behalf of the petitioners. State Attorney and Government Pleader N. Manoj Kumar; Senior Advocate V.J. Mathew, and Advocates Vipin P. Varghese, Adarsh Mathew, Kevin Mathew George, Meera Elsa George, and Merlin Mathew appeared on behalf of the various respondents.

Case Title: Howe Engineering Projects (I) Pvt. Ltd. & 3 Ors. v. State of Kerala & 27 Ors. and M/S Adani Vizhinjam Port Pvt Ltd & 2 Ors v. State of Kerala & 27 Ors.