Supreme Court gave a big jolt to the center on Friday over the issue of much-hyped demonetization move. The apex court clearly refused to stay hearing on petition pending before various High Courts. The court expressed reservation on Centre’s appeal for the direction that no court should hear pleas on demonetization notification.
Chief Justice TS Thakur said that people of different place facing different problems; hence, we can’t stay these petitions. He, however, advised the government to file a transfer petition to transfer all cases in Delhi HC.
Government will file transfer petition
The attorney General Mukul Rohatgi said the government will file transfer petition. “It indicates the magnitude of the problem is serious. People are going to the High Courts for relief. This is a serious issue. Let them go,” said a bench of Chief Justice T.S. Thakur and Justice Anil R.Dave.
The attorney General had to face tough questions on the notes ban from the Supreme Court, which remarked:” We will have riots on the streets”. The government replied that ATMs needed to be recalibrated because they have a single drawer for Rs. 100 notes.
Rohatgi accused Congress of using HC as political platform
On the other hand, Rohatgi accused Congress leader and senior lawyer Kapil Sibal of using Supreme Court as a political platform on demonetization issue. The next date of hearing will be November 25 fixed by the Supreme Court.
At the same time, the Kolkata HC in a separate hearing related to the demonetization issue came down heavily on the center saying that the daily change in the procedures shows that the government’s unplanned move and it did not apply its mind properly before implementing the action. Hearing a PIL against the government’s demonetization move, the Kolkata High Court said although we cannot change the government policy, but the lack of sincerity of bank employees is evident there.
