The West Bengal government on Monday filed a caveat in the Supreme Court so that any petition by Tata Motors Ltd over land at Singur was not heard ex-parte.
The development came after the Calcutta high court refused to pass an interim order on Tata Motors' plea to restrain the state government from distributing from Tuesday land acquired there earlier to set up a company car manufacturing unit.
Tata Motor's counsel Samaraditya Pal who moved an ex-parte petition sought stay on distribution of land expressing apprehension that it would be done within a day or two.
On Tata Motor's prayer, Justice Saumitra
Pal said since no specific statement was made in the petition that it would start on Tuesday, no interim order was passed.
Justice Pal also stated that in such circumstances the company's original petition challenging the Singur Land Rehabilitation and Development Act, 2011 would become infructuous.
Appearing for the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation, senior counsel Saktinath Mukherjee opposed the prayer of Tata Motors claiming that it could not be done when the opposite party was present in court and copies would have to be served to them.
Later, Junior Standing Counsel Pratik Banerjee told reporters that the caveat was filed at 4:15 pm to ensure that the state was heard if TML moved any petition on Singur land.