The Supreme Court on Monday declined to entertain a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the food security ordinance promulgated by the government earlier this month.
A bench comprising justices T.S. Thakur and Vikramajit Sen declined to hear the PIL and asked the petitioner to approach the high court for redressal of his grievances.
The petition was filed by advocate M.L. Sharma alleging that the Centre has brought the ordinance for political purposes and the court should examine its validity. The bench, however, made it clear that the court cannot examine the ordinance on the ground that there is political dimension or objective behind it. It asked the petitioner to approach the high court to raise other grounds for challenging validity of the ordinance.
The petition sought quashing of the ordinance alleging that the constitutional provision has been misused for pre-election propaganda and political gains. President Pranab Mukherjee had signed the ordinance on food security on July 5.
The petition said Article 123 of the Constitution that deals with the power of the President to promulgate ordinances during the recess of Parliament has been misused as there was no “emergency” situation.
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Rahul: Build pressure on Modi govt
Age Correspondent
New Delhi, July 29
Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Monday asked the party leaders from Gujarat to focus on issues to build pressure on the Narendra Modi-led government. “You raise issues which build pressure on the government. Issues like why the Assembly Session in Gujarat was called only for one day. Raise issues of public welfare,” he is learnt to have told the leaders in the meeting.
In an interactive session with AICC general secretary in-charge of the state Gurudas Kamath, PCC chief Arjun Modhwadia and CLP leader Shankarsinh Vaghela, he reviewed the organisational work done by the party in last three months. Mr Gandhi also asked them to propagate the success of public welfare programmes done by the Centre.
He also had a meeting with AICC general secretary in-charge of Tamil Nadu Mukul Wasnik, state PCC chief B.S. Gnanadesi-kan and CLP leader K. Gopinath during which the leaders talked at length about how to strengthen the party in the state.