High Court · 2025

W.P.No.7593 of 2025IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRASDATED: 04.03.2025CORAM:THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE G.K.ILANTHIRAIYANW.P.No.7593 of 2025Indus Tower Limited,Rep. by its Authorized Signatory Mr.Paridhi Arasu,No.5, ESPEE IT Park,5th Floor, Jawaharlal Nehru Road,Ekkatuthangal, Chennai - 600 032. ... PetitionerVs.1. The Superintendent of Police, Namakkal District.2. The Deputy Superintendent of Police, Namakkal Range, Namakkal District.3. The Inspector of Police, Senthamangalam Police Station, Namakkal District.4. The District Collector, Namakkal District.5. The Thasildar, Senthamangalam Taluk, Namakkal District.6. The Executive Officer, Senthamangalam Town Panchayat, Namakkal District. ... RespondentsPage 1 of 9 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.No.7593 of 2025PRAYER: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution praying to issue a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents 1 to 3 to provide necessary police protection to the petitioner for their mobile phone tower works at the premises being about 4.25 Cents of vacant land in G.R.No.S.F.No.92/290 in New S.F.No.182/4 of Senthamangalam Village, Senthamangalam Taluk, Namakkal District on the representation dated 01.08.2024 to the 3rd respondent in CSR No.271/2024 dated 01.08.2024 and direct the respondents 4 to 6 to render co-operation to the respondents 1 to 3 in the matter.For Petitioner : Mr.S.Anil SandeepFor Respondents:Mr.A.Gopinath, Govt. Advocate (Crl. Side)(for R1 to R3)Mr.P.Balathandayutham,Spl. Government Pleader (for R4 to R6)O R D E RThis petition has been filed for the issuance of a Writ of mandamus, directing the respondents 1 to 3 to provide necessary police protection to the petitioner for their mobile phone tower works at the premises being about 4.25 Cents of vacant land in G.R.No.S.F.No.92/290 in New S.F.No.182/4 of Senthamangalam Village, Senthamangalam Page 2 of 9 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.No.7593 of 2025Taluk, Namakkal District on the representation dated 01.08.2024 to the 3rd respondent in CSR No.271/2024 dated 01.08.2024 and direct the respondents 4 to 6 to render co-operation to the respondents 1 to 3 in the matter.2. The case of the petitioner is that the petitioner is engaged in the business of Operation and Maintenance of Mobile phone towers across India for all the mobile phone operators/service providers providing broadband Internet services and other allied services. For the said purpose, cell phone tower is going to be erected. The petitioner had also entered into a lease agreement with the owner of the property and had taken steps to install the cell phone tower. Already, the Government of Tamil Nadu has granted exemption to all the Telecom companies to install the cell phone towers by virtue of Government Order passed in G.O.Ms.No.2, dated 01.04.2002.3.When the petitioner attempted to erect the cell phone tower, some people with vested interest claiming to be neighbours have been Page 3 of 9 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.No.7593 of 2025causing hindrance and preventing the workers from carrying out the construction work. In this regard, the petitioner claims to have given a complaint to the 3rd respondent on 01.08.2024, seeking police protection. However, the 3rd respondent had not acted upon the said complaint and therefore, the present Petition has been filed.4.The learned counsel appearing for the petitioner would submit that the issue involved in this petition is covered by the earlier Judgments of this Court. The learned counsel brought to the notice of this Court the order passed by this Court in Crl.O.P.No.16618 of 2018 dt.28.06.2018.5.It will be appropriate to extract the relevant portions of the order in Crl.O.P.No.16618 of 2018, which is extracted hereunder:~"?2.The learned counsel for the petitioner would submit that the petitioner-s company had the contract agreement for installation of cell phone tower with M/s.Indus Towers Limited, a company registered under the Page 4 of 9 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.No.7593 of 2025provisions of Indian Companies Act, 1956. It is further submitted by the learned counsel for the petitioner that whenever the petitioner-s company attempted to erect transmission cell phone tower, publics are causing interference. The learned counsel for the petitioner also submitted that by order dated 05.03.2015, the Honourable First Bench of this Court, in W.P.Nos.24976 of 2008 and etc., batch, held that because of the advancement in the science, no one has prevented to erect cell phone towers. It is also submitted that the petitioner has given a complaint dated 24.02.2016 to the first respondent police seeking police protection, for which C.S.R.No.42 of 2016 and since the same has not been considered so far, he has come up with the present petition for the relief stated supra.3.Heard the learned Additional Public Prosecutor appearing for the respondent.Page 5 of 9 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.No.7593 of 20254.Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, the petitioner is directed to send a fresh representation to the respondent and on receipt of the same, the respondent is directed to consider the representation to be submitted by the petitioner and pass appropriate orders on merits and in accordance with law, within a period of one week from the date of receipt of copy of this order.5.With the above directions, this Criminal Original Petition is disposed of.?"6.This Court has consistently taken the view that no one can be prevented from erecting the cell phone towers on a mere apprehension about the effect of radiation from the cell phone tower. The apprehension does not have a scientific backing. Till a positive finding is given in this regard, cell phone towers cannot be prevented to be installed on mere apprehensions.Page 6 of 9 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.No.7593 of 20257.For the reasons stated above, there shall be a direction to the 3rd respondent police to provide police protection to the petitioner for erection of the cell phone tower. The 3rd respondent police shall ensure that the entire process goes on in a smooth manner, without giving raise to any law and order problem.8. This writ petition is disposed of with the above direction. There shall be no order as to costs.04.03.2025Index: Yes/NoNeutral citation: Yes/NoSpeaking/non-speaking orderkvTo1. The Superintendent of Police, Namakkal District.2. The Deputy Superintendent of Police, Namakkal Range, Namakkal District.3. The Inspector of Police, Senthamangalam Police Station, Namakkal District.4. The District Collector,Page 7 of 9 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.No.7593 of 2025 Namakkal District.Page 8 of 9 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis W.P.No.7593 of 2025G.K.ILANTHIRAIYAN, J.kv5. The Thasildar, Senthamangalam Taluk, Namakkal District.6. The Executive Officer, Senthamangalam Town Panchayat, Namakkal District.7. The Public Prosecutor, High Court, Madras.W.P.No.7593 of 202504.03.2025Page 9 of 9