Centre objects to 'self-serving' PILs

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 15

The Centre on Wednesday took strong exception to filing of what it described as self-serving PILs at a time when the country was dealing with a health emergency due to outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“These are self-employment generating petitions. This court should not entertain such petitions. I have serious reservations regarding the kind of petitions that are landing before the court during these times,” Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told a Bench headed by Justice NV Ramana.

Mehta’s comments came after senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, representing activist Swami Agnivesh, submitted that the poor were facing the brunt of the lockdown and they needed to be given immediate attention.

As Gonsalves alleged that there was no work visible on the ground, Mehta said the Centre would ensure that all the directive in this regard were followed by the states. “There is no reason not to trust the government,” the Solicitor General said during the hearing conducted through Video Conferencing.

The petitioner alleged that the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare on March 28 were not being fully implemented by the police authorities concerned.

The court, however, disposed of the petition after recording the statement of the Solicitor General on behalf of the Centre that compliance regarding the guidelines would be ensured.