Coalgate: Centre's stand contradictory, says Supreme Court

NEW DELHI: Centre was today at the receiving end in the Supreme Court which said its stand on coal block allocation has been "contradictory", prompting a flustered Attorney General G E Vahanvati to state that it is "very difficult" and "tremendous strain" to respond to all queries.

The Coal Ministry, which had earlier sought time to place the records relating to identification and allocation of coal blocks, faced fresh questions from the apex court on allotments, forcing Vahanvati to seek adjournment for two more weeks to produce entire record of allotments.

Pushed to the corner by the volley of questions raised by a bench headed by Justice R M Lodha for not placing all the records, Vahanvati, who is known for his gentle demeanour, got agitated, saying, "I cannot carry everything in my head".

"Its very difficult. It is a tremendous strain. I cannot carry everything in my head. Once I argue on one aspect, another question arises on another aspect. How would I go ahead," he said.

"I have answered about identification of coal block. I have answered about the Central Mine Planning and Design Institute Limited (CMPDIL) and now the question is about location of coal block," Vahanvati said.

At the outset, the bench also comprising justices Madan B Lokur and Kurian Joseph, pulled up the Centre for taking a stand contradictory to its earlier position.

"This affidavit filed yesterday is contradictory to what you said earlier. On many issues the affidavit is either silent or says something else. You argued something but the documents say something else. Legality of coal block allocation has to be justified by you," the bench said.