Formula 4 race in Chennai | Supreme Court stays order directing RPPL to reimburse ₹42 crore to T.N. govt.

Supreme Court stays Madras High Court order for RPPL to reimburse ₹42 crore for Formula 4 street race circuit.

The Supreme Court has stayed an order passed by the Madras High Court on February 19 directing Racing Promotions Private Limited (RPPL) to reimburse the expenditure of ₹42 crore made by Tamil Nadu government for the creation of a Formula 4 street race circuit around the Island grounds in Chennai.

A three-judge Bench comprising Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud and Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra granted the interim stay after hearing Senior Counsel Arvind Nayyar for RPPL which had taken the matter on appeal to the apex court. The judges also decided to hear the appeal next on July 29.

While disposing of a batch of public interest litigation petitions filed against the proposed conduct of the street race in Chennai, the High Court had waved a green signal for the conduct of the event but imposed certain conditions such as reimbursing the expenditure incurred by the State government.

“RPPL cannot expect anything more than facilitation as well as arrangements along with coordination and cooperation of the State authorities. The expenditure for the event will have to be completely borne out only by the RPPL,” a Division Bench of the High Court had said.