A division bench comprising Justice A. Gopal Reddy and Justice K.C. Bhanu of the AP High Court on Wednesday was irked with a petitioner who filed a PIL seeking a direction to declare the Centre’s decision to allow the Maharashtra government to arrest the TD delegation as illegal.

Justice Gopal Reddy asked counsel for the petitioner, Mr M. Narayana, to caution his client not to file such writs to gain popularity. At one stage, the judge said that he would impose fines on the petitioner for filing such a frivolous petition.

The bench asked the petitioner how Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu was unaware that such a delegation led by him wouldn’t cause a law and order problem.

Justice Gopal Reddy said the state government is empowered to assess the situation on whether any law and order problem would arise if a political delegation is allowed to visit a controversial site.

While observing that the petition was not maintainable, the bench asked counsel to produce the petitioner before the court on Monday.