Review plea in SC over 'forcible' takeover of Trichy SRM Hotel by TTDC

New Delhi [India], November 20 (ANI): Senior Supreme Court Advocate Syed Ahmed Saud has filed a review petition in the Supreme Court challenging the alleged "forcible acquisition" of the Trichy SRM Hotel by the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) on October 22, amid an ongoing legal dispute over rent payments.
According to Saud, the Supreme Court had earlier directed the SRM Hotel to deposit half of the rent amount worth Rs 20 crore. The hotel management submitted before the court that civil cases related to the rent were already pending before the district court of Trichy.
According to the media statement, the Trichy SRM Hotel management has already deposited Rs 7 crore in accordance with the Madurai High Court's order.
On October 27, the management of the SRM Hotel was ready to pay Rs 20 crore, but was seeking clarity through its petition on October 5. The petition enquired whether the SRM Trichy hotel is required to pay the remaining balance of Rs 13 crore, given that Rs 7 crore has already been paid, and whether the deposit of Rs 13 crore can be made in the name of the Supreme Court registry.
The Supreme Court had accepted the petition on October 14.
However, Saud said that TTDC "forcibly acquired the SRM Hotel in Trichy, without any court order and despite the pending case in the Supreme Court" on October 22.
"On October 27, the Supreme Court in the SRM Hotel case, a two-judge bench, dismissed the petition without examining the evidence submitted by senior advocate Syed Ahmed Saud, including the footage/photographs forcibly acquired by TTDC," the release read.
In this situation, senior advocate Syed Ahmed Saud has filed a review petition in the Supreme Court on November 11.
"The forcible seizure of public property on October 22, 2025, in the case of SRM Hotel, Trichy, where passengers and guests are accommodated under an agreement between a contractor and TTDC, violates the protections guaranteed by Articles 14, 19, and 21 of the Constitution of India," it further read.
Saud stated, "The Trichy SRM Hotel approached the High Court and the Supreme Court on the grounds that everyone, including the occupier, is entitled to due process of law. It is on this sole ground that we have filed a review petition (after the order of October 27, 2025)."
Referring to the October 22 seizure, Saud added, "The forceful takeover of the Trichy SRM Hotel and its properties by the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation, aided by the police, is a noteworthy event. The TTDC has taken over the hotel and its properties by force. It hasn't let the hotel remove movable items as per the lease. TTDC has acted contrary to the protection provided in Articles 14, 19, and 21 of the Indian Constitution."
The senior Supreme Court counsel further said the review petition has been filed to show that TTDC acted "as if it were usurping public property while the guests were staying there, without respecting the Constitution of India and violating the law."
Saud added, "If necessary, we are also ready to file a curative petition after this. The three senior judges of the Supreme Court will sit in the hearing of the curative petition, and two judges will review the decision (October 27, 2025)." (ANI)