SC refuses to take suo motu cognisance of protests in AP

Says it cannot take suo motu cognisance and will hear the plea if a petition is filed

The Supreme Court today rejected the plea of an advocate to take suo motu cognisance of prevailing situation in coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema regions where life has been hit due to an indefinite strike by electricity employees to protest creation of a new state.

A bench headed by Chief Justice P Sathasivam said it cannot take suo motu cognisance and will hear the plea if a petition is filed on the issue.

The matter was mentioned before the bench by advocate K Krishnamurty.

Several towns and hundreds of villages in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions of Andhra Pradesh yesterday plunged into darkness while several trains were cancelled as the indefinite strike by electricity employees to protest the decision of the state hit power generation and supply.

The strike has caused severe inconvenience to people in Seemandhra - as Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra are together known. There was no exemption to even emergency services like hospitals, water supply and agriculture.