Bhushan files RTI to see impeachment case transfer order
New Delhi, May 8: Senior advocate Prashant Bhushan on Tuesday moved an RTI application in the Supreme Court Additional Registrar office to find out if the CJI impeachment case was referred to a five-judge Constitution bench by way of administrative order and who passed it.
The move came after the bench hearing the plea refused to answer the question, and senior counsel Kapil Sibal subsequently withdrew a petition moved by two Congress MPs against Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu's dismissal of a notice to impeach Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra.
"Was writ petition Pratap Singh Bajwa and Another versus Chairman Rajya Sabha and Another listed on May 8 before a Constitution bench by way of an administrative order? If yes, who has passed the above mentioned order," Bhushan asked in his application seeking information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
Besides a copy of the order, Bhushan also said that he be allowed to "inspect the concerned file along with any file noting concerning the said order".
On April 20, members from seven opposition parties led by the Congress submitted a notice to Chairman Naidu to initiate impeachment proceedings against Chief Justice Misra on five counts of "misbehaviour" -- a notice rejected by Naidu.
On Monday, Congress MPs Pratap Singh Bajwa and Amee Yajnik filed a petition alleging that Naidu's decision was politically motivated.
"It was mentioned before the court that since the case deals directly with the CJI on impeachment and therefore the CJI could not have heard the mentioning or exercise any power as the master of the roster or for listing the case," Bhushan told the media.
"But suddenly last night, the registry announced that the case has been listed before a Constitution bench in Court 6. It has never happened before that a matter/petition is listed before a Constitution bench even without a judicial order and we need to know if the CJI has passed this order."
Bhushan said every administrative order of any authority, even if it is of the CJI, is capable of being challenged on the judicial side.
"Unfortunately, the bench said they would not like to go into this matter and they would not like to provide a copy of the order," the senior lawyer said.
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Approval of registered housing societies must to operate liquor shops on their premises: Ajit Pawar
Nagpur (PTI): Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Wednesday said that shops selling Indian made foreign liquor (IMFL) as well as country liquor will be required to obtain mandatory consent from registered housing societies before commencing operations from the commercial spaces on their premises.
Pawar, who also heads the excise department, directed that this new policy be implemented across the state.
"Permission from registered housing societies will now be compulsory for both categories of liquor shops. The policy must be enforced uniformly throughout Maharashtra," Pawar told the Lower House of the state legislature while responding to a question raised by BJP MLA Shankar Jagtap, who represents the Chinchwad assembly constituency in Pune district.
Jagtap sought cancellation of licences of liquor shops operating in Chinchwad-Kalewadi area of Pune.
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During the discussion, he said that Vikrant Wine, a liquor shop in Sahyadri Society, had begun operations in violation of norms.
The building was incomplete when permission was granted, and the licence had been issued on the basis of incomplete documents, Jagtap said, demanding action against those responsible.
Responding to this, Pawar reiterated the mandatory requirement of the respective housing society's consent for liquor outlets, and informed the House about the action taken regarding the two shops against which complaints had been received.
During the Budget session of the state legislature held in March this year, Pawar had announced that a no-objection certificate (NOC) from housing societies will be mandatory for liquor vends if they wish to migrate to their premises.
Many housing societies have commercial establishments, with some even having liquor vends.
