New Delhi: The Central government seems to have hit back after the Apex Court asked the government’s opinion multiple times while hearing PIL’s.
According to the reports, the Central government on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that it should refrain from making remarks against the governance since India as a country has major problems and the court while dealing with one issue should think from government’s opinion, news18 reported.
Attorney General KK Venugopal appearing for the government said that the Judges of the court may not know every aspect of every problem apart from reading the headlines when they choose to make comments on the government.
“Days after days I have been reading your observations. But a judge may not be knowing all aspects of all the problems,” he said to the bench comprising of Justice Madan B Lokur, Justices SA Nazeer and Deepak Gupta.
He said whenever a PIL on a specific issue comes up before the Judges they immediately pass order and he says “ but you must also understand that orders have repercussions. They may have several consequences which could affect rights of some other class. For them, the government has to think.”
He said the court ordering cancellation of 2G licenses has closed huge foreign investments.
“Similarly, order on removing liquor vends by increasing the distance from highways, caused financial loss. People lost livelihood,” he added.
“In my opinion, all PILs should be decided in this manner. Every order has to be balanced and thought of. India has multitude of problems. Extent of poverty, illiteracy, lack of awareness are serious issues and the government needs to first look at those who don’t even earn Rs 100 a day,” AG added.
He urged the bench to refrain from criticising the current government and also look at the progress that is being accomplished in various sectors.
“It is not that we have done nothing or we are doing nothing. Not everything is negative,” he said.
And then responding to AG, Justice Lokur said: “Mr Attorney..let us make it clear that we are not criticising the Govt. We are also citizens of this country and we know about the problems. We are only enforcing rights of people. We can’t wish away Article 21.”
Justice Lokur reminded the AG that most of the developments or progress that has been happening or happened were only because the court’s orders not just because of the governance.
“You should only ask your officers to follow the laws made by the Parliament,” Justice Lokur said sternly.
The Judge further pointed towards the enormous amount of Rs 100,000 crores that government has collected as cess pursuant to orders of the court.
To that AG immediately responded: “First of all, this money is nothing in today’s budgeting. Second, this money is not to be spent by the central government alone. States also have their share in it. So, Centre can’t decide alone.”
To his argument, the bench responded that this money was still good enough for improvising the shelter homes constructing rehabilitation of widows along with making prisons better.
Then the AG politely said that he only conveyed his opinions to the bench about dealing with PILs and urged the bench to take his considerations without any offence.