'Policy Matter For Relevant Authorities': SC Dismisses Plea Seeking Additional Stop For Vande Bharat Train In Malappuram

On Monday (17 July), a Supreme Court bench headed by the Chief Justice India D Y Chandrachud dismissed a plea filed by a lawyer against a plea dismissal by Kerala HC, for an additional stop at Tirur railway station.

The Kerala High Court dismissed a plea regarding direction to the Southern Railways to permit a stop for the Vande Bharat train, at Tirur station in Malappuram District.

The bench comprising of the CJI and Justices PS Narasimha and Manoj Misra remarked that it cannot decide which station a train stops at, and it was a policy matter for the relevant authorities to deliberate upon.

Previously, the Kerala High Court while dismissing the plea observed that there was no public interest involved in the writ petition and that determining the stops for a train had to be determined by the Indian Railways and that no person has a right to demand the same.

The petitioner argued that the Malappuram district is one of the most densely populated areas of Kerala, with a significant number of people depending on train service.

He added that Tirur railway station was previously allotted a stop, but was subsequently called back and another railway station ‘Shornur’ in Palakkad district was allotted its place, due to political reasons.