SC questions central govt’s power to allocate coal blocks
25 Jan 2013 7:35 AM IST
The SC on Thursday questioned the power of the central government to allocate coal blocks to companies as the statutory act empowers only the states. The court said the central government cannot undermine the Mines and Minerals Act which has given no power to it to allocate coal blocks to companies.
A bench of Justices RM Lodha and J Chelameswar asked the government to go through other legislations particularly the Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Act, to find out whether it is empowered to allocate the resources. The bench granted six weeks time to the government to respond on the issue. The bench was hearing two PILs seeking cancellation of the blocks distribution process and SIT probe into the coal block allocation scam.
The CBI came under sharp criticism of the court for not wanting to share details of its probe in the coal block allocation scam with the court.
Additional Solicitor General Haren Rawal, appearing for the CBI, said it had already registered 12 FIRs and a comprehensive investigation is on. Saying that nothing will be kept back and detailed information of the probe will be provided to the court, ASG agreed to file a detailed affidavit on the status of the probe.
The petitioner, NGO Common Cause, submitted that the agency must file its status report in a sealed cover to ensure proper investigation is being carried out and to decide its plea that SIT be set up. The CBI opposed any SIT probe and assured the court that probe in the scam will be completed within four months. The court had earlier on 19 November issued notice to the government and the CBI on a plea for a probe by a special investigation team into the alleged irregularities in allocations.
A bench of Justices RM Lodha and J Chelameswar asked the government to go through other legislations particularly the Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Act, to find out whether it is empowered to allocate the resources. The bench granted six weeks time to the government to respond on the issue. The bench was hearing two PILs seeking cancellation of the blocks distribution process and SIT probe into the coal block allocation scam.
The CBI came under sharp criticism of the court for not wanting to share details of its probe in the coal block allocation scam with the court.
Additional Solicitor General Haren Rawal, appearing for the CBI, said it had already registered 12 FIRs and a comprehensive investigation is on. Saying that nothing will be kept back and detailed information of the probe will be provided to the court, ASG agreed to file a detailed affidavit on the status of the probe.
The petitioner, NGO Common Cause, submitted that the agency must file its status report in a sealed cover to ensure proper investigation is being carried out and to decide its plea that SIT be set up. The CBI opposed any SIT probe and assured the court that probe in the scam will be completed within four months. The court had earlier on 19 November issued notice to the government and the CBI on a plea for a probe by a special investigation team into the alleged irregularities in allocations.
Next Story
