HC defers hearing on PIL over misuse of SAIL funds by minister
The Delhi High Court ton Wednesday deferred the hearing on a PIL, alleging that the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) had funded expenses of a Union Minister of Steel, after it was told that a similar petition was pending in the Allahabad Hi...
By PTI |
NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday deferred the hearing on a PIL, alleging that the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) had funded expenses of a Union Minister of Steel, after it was told that a similar petition was pending in the Allahabad High Court.
A bench of Justices T S Thakur and Aruna Suresh, on being informed that a similar petition was pending before the Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court, adjourned the hearing to February 20.
M C Dhingra, appearing for petitioner Vinay Singh, sought some time for seeking clarification on the issue after the Bench said "when a competent court is examining the issue then, why should we look into it."
Singh, in the PIL, alleged public sector undertaking SAIL had "illegally" paid several thousands rupees towards expenses incurred by the steel minister.
During the hearing, the court, however, expressed its reluctance saying "Going by the recent Supreme Court observations, we should not deal with such issues, related to legislature and the executive."
"Then, where should we go? How can a PSU foot the bills of a minister which is related to some 'panwallahas and chaiwallahs'," Dhingra said.
The courts' intervention was required to satisfy the commonman's query about the fate of their money," he said.
The counsel, appearing for the SAIL, said the petition was "politically motivated" and the constitution provides for the "mechanism/system" to control alleged misuse of public funds.
"We are aware that how systems, providing checks and balances, are abused," the bench said.
A bench of Justices T S Thakur and Aruna Suresh, on being informed that a similar petition was pending before the Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court, adjourned the hearing to February 20.
M C Dhingra, appearing for petitioner Vinay Singh, sought some time for seeking clarification on the issue after the Bench said "when a competent court is examining the issue then, why should we look into it."
Singh, in the PIL, alleged public sector undertaking SAIL had "illegally" paid several thousands rupees towards expenses incurred by the steel minister.
During the hearing, the court, however, expressed its reluctance saying "Going by the recent Supreme Court observations, we should not deal with such issues, related to legislature and the executive."
"Then, where should we go? How can a PSU foot the bills of a minister which is related to some 'panwallahas and chaiwallahs'," Dhingra said.
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The courts' intervention was required to satisfy the commonman's query about the fate of their money," he said.
The counsel, appearing for the SAIL, said the petition was "politically motivated" and the constitution provides for the "mechanism/system" to control alleged misuse of public funds.
"We are aware that how systems, providing checks and balances, are abused," the bench said.
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