If Tatas and Birlas don't follow rules, who will: HC judge

The court pulled up Tata Sponge for filing a petition, which was contrary to its rules

If Tatas and Birlas do not follow rules who will? the Delhi High Court today said while pulling up Tata Sponge Ltd for filing a petition, which was contrary to its rules.

"If Tatas and Birlas do not follow rules, who will? Your list of dates is 25 pages long. It is bigger than the main petition. It is clearly contrary to High Court rule which provides that list of dates should not exceed five pages," Justice Manmohan said.

"This is not the way to do it. I am not going to touch this till it is rectified," Justice Manmohan said adding "I am having this problem with almost every case and someone has to be made an example".

"If I make an example in a big case, with a big advocate on record and senior advocate, the message goes across," he said while refusing to listen to the matter tomorrow.

The counsel for Tata Sponge defended the long list of dates saying the "background of the case had to be given".

In response, Justice Manmohan said "you can't give background in list of dates."

Tata Sponge has moved the high court against a central government letter sent to various companies to whom coal blocks were allocated asking them to show by February 5, 2014, that they have obtained all necessary approval for bringing the blocks into operation.

The company said the Centre's decision was made without giving it a hearing, adding it has invested over Rs 600 crore in plant and land acquisition.

The court, however, refused to consider the matter saying "you have nothing with you as of date. Allotment letter can be restored later".