MH-SHIVAJI MEMORIAL-PATIL

Maharashtra minister Chandrakant

Patil Wednesday said the Supreme Court is unlikely to overturn

the Bombay High Court's verdict on the proposed Chhatrapati

Shivaji Maharaj Memorial project in the Arabian Sea here.

Speaking to reporters at Mantralaya (secretariat), he

refuted BJP MLC Vinayak Mete's claims that officials of the

Public Works Department (PWD) were to be blamed for the apex

court's stay on construction work of the project.

"The Bombay High Court gave a verdict in our favour

and petitioners' case did not hold merit because of the ground

work of PWD officials," said the revenue minister.

The BJP minister said the HC had observed that the

state government had secured all the necessary permissions and

clearances before going ahead with the project and therefore

turned down the plea of the Conservation Action Trust (CAT).

The trust had requested the HC to to scrap the project

on the ground the state government had not taken proper

environmental clearances for it.

"There was no failure on our part on arguing our case

before the SC. Once a petition is rejected by the HC,

petitioner has the right to approach the SC.

"The apex court, while listing the matter for next

hearing, had ordered a stay on the construction work while

stating that it will have to examine the matter," Patil said.

"Instances of SC overturning HC's orders are very

rare. In this case also, the apex court will not take a

contrarian view," he said.

The SC Wednesday sought responses from the Centre and

the Maharashtra government on a plea challenging the Bombay HC

order which had refused to restrain authorities from taking

steps regarding the proposed project.

Advocate Nishant R Katneshwarkar, who appeared for

Maharashtra, said that while issuing notice on the plea, the

bench orally told him to ask the authorities not to proceed

with construction activity.

Meanwhile, Patil pleaded ignorance when asked about

the role of state party leaders in the alleged attempts being

made by the BJP to topple the JDS-Congress in Karnataka.

Patil claimed for the past two days, he has been in

his office in Mantralaya and hardly moved out.

Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar, who was closeted

in a close-door meeting with Patil, also declined to comment

on the political developments in the neighbouring state.