Indian govt asks SC to refrain from making observations

NEW DELHI: The Indian government on Wednesday asked the Supreme Court to restrain itself from making hard-hitting observations on Public Interest Litigation (PIL) matters saying these had an impact on several issues plaguing the country, The Economic Times reported.

But the top court shot back to say that the judges were also citizens and knew the problems faced by the country, while making it clear that they “are not criticising the government for everything”. It also asked the government “to obey the law of the land”.

But Justice Lokur shot back, “We are trying to solve some of these problems” and referred to the matters relating to the rights of widows, children and prisoners which were being dealt with by the apex court.

“We are also citizens of this country and we know the problems which the country is facing,” the judge told Venugopal. The AG told the court that while dealing with a matter, there are possibilities that the court might not consider the impact it would have on some other aspects.

“With the Supreme Court’s intervention, tremendous inroads have been made but problems in India are enormous,” he said. To this, Justice Lokur said, “We are making it clear that we have not and we are not criticising the government for everything”.

“Please do not carry the impression that we are criticising the government and preventing them from doing their work. You also look at the positive directions of the court,” Justice Lokur said.

During the hearing, Venugopal referred to the issue of budgetary restrictions and said around 200 million people were living below the “hunger line” and the government’s priority was to pull such persons out of this.

“The question is how will you manage funds. This requires policy deliberation,” he told the court and referred to the apex court’s order quashing 122 telecom licences and banning sale of liquor within 500 metre of highways across the country saying several people had lost their jobs due to court orders.

He said if PILs were filed, there should be a separate paragraph in the plea dealing with the impact the issue raised might have on other aspects. But the bench expressed its displeasure over the government collecting huge sums of money, running into over Rs one lakh crore, under the orders of the apex court, but these funds were not being used properly.

“Through orders of this court, you have got Rs 130,000 to Rs 150,000 crore. Do something with that money,” the bench said. Venugopal said these funds were collected for environment purposes.

The bench retorted that in one of the matters related to construction workers, over Rs 30,000 crore meant for welfare of these workers were used to buy laptops and washing machines. “There is enough money. They (construction workers) do not have clothes to wear but washing machines were purchased. They are illiterates, but laptops were purchased,” it said.