IDUKKI: The High Court is looking into the complaint that despite instructions to stop the illegal construction of the CPM Area Committee office in Santhanpara, Idukki, no action was taken and the construction continued throughout the night. The High Court, which directed the Idukki District Collector to inform about the steps taken in the interim order preventing illegal construction, adjourned the matter for today.

A division bench comprising Justice A Muhammad Mushtaq and Justice Sophie Thomas had on Tuesday directed the Idukki District Collector to prevent the construction of party offices without the NOC of the Revenue and Local Government Departments. The court also directed the district police chief to provide police protection for the action of the collector. The interim order was issued on petitions seeking to stop illegal constructions in Munnar.

The petitioners informed the Division Bench yesterday morning that although the Collector and the RDO were informed that the construction was going on at night in violation of the High Court's interim order, no action was taken. The petitioners also stated that the construction work of the Area Committee office is almost complete. Amicus Curiae Adv. Harish Vasudevan brought the media news regarding this to the attention of the court. The High Court adjourned the matter to 12 noon, after stating that it needed to hear the explanation of the Revenue Department. The government counsel appearing for the Collector stated that the Collector had not received a copy of the order of the court. The Collector also told the court that a new stop memo was issued yesterday morning soon after he received the official notification about the order to stop the construction work.