HC refuses to intervene in post office location

HC refuses to intervene in post office location

MADURAI, July 25, 2016 

Court dismisses petition that challenged the closure of a branch in Karur district

Recognising the competition faced by the Department of Posts in the digital era, the Madras High Court Bench here has said that courts could not interfere in decisions taken by the department to curtail expenditure.

A Division Bench of Justices Nooty Ramamohana Rao and S.S. Sundar made the observation while dismissing a public interest litigation petition filed by P. Thangavelu, a resident of Inam Karur Municipality, against a decision taken by the department to relocate L.N. Samudram branch post office in Karur district.

Mr. Justice Rao said: “It is not for us to determine where a post office should be located. The choice of establishing the post office vests with the Union of India and it is for them to decide from which location they will be able to serve the public more effectively.”

A matter of convenience

The Bench said establishing a post office was a matter of convenience and its location was a matter of policy. The judges pointed out that the petitioner was guilty of not disclosing the fact of having filed a similar case which got dismissed in 2010. Similarly, he had deposed as a witness in a civil suit filed by a councillor of the municipality before a lower court in Karur in 2008 against relocating the post office.