HC directs to implead Govt officials as respondents

The Madras High Court today directed to implead the Defence Secretary, Secretary of External Affairs and Deputy Director General of Indian Coast Guard as respondents on a petition seeking to cancel the proposed sale of two war ships to Sri Lanka.
Justice V Sudhakar and Justice S Vaidhyanathan of Madurai Bench also posted the case for hearing to January 7 next year.
Earlier the court had ordered the Cabinet Secretary, Government of India, to respond to three queries on the proposed sale of the war ships to Sri Lanka.
The court wanted to know about the "mechanism and arrangement" of these ships and by when these ships are likely to be sold to Sri Lanka.

The petitioner K Stalin, a city based advocate, in his petition sought a direction to cancel the proposed deal as it was apprehended that the ships could be deployed against Indian fishermen fishing in the Palk Straits.
The deal was insensitive to the strong sentiments in Tamil Nadu against Sri Lanka which was facing allegations of human rights violations against Lankan Tamils, he contended.