Delhi HC rejects plea against RBI notification allowing exchange of ₹2,000 notes without identity proof

The Delhi High Court on Monday rejected a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and State Bank of India (SBI) notifications allowing the exchange of ₹2,000 notes without identity proof. A Division Bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad rejected the plea filed by BJP leader and advocate Ashwini Upadhyay.

Court earlier reserved the order on the PIL

Delhi High Court earlier on May 23 reserved the order on the plea which permits the exchange of Rs 2,000 currency notes without obtaining any requisition slip and identity proof. Appearing for RBI, senior advocate Parag Tripathi opposed the plea and said it is a statutory exercise and not a demonetisation.

The plea called the decision arbitrary and irrational and offends under Article 14 of the Constitution of India.

The bench comprising of Justices Satish Chander Sharma and Subramonium Prasad on Tuesday said, "the court will pass the appropriate order while keeping the order reserved."

Plea was filed by BJP leader and advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay

The plea had been moved by BJP leader and advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, further seeking direction to the RBI and SBI to ensure that Rs 2,000 banknotes are deposited in respective bank accounts so that no one could deposit the money in others’ bank accounts and people having black money and disproportionate assets could be identified easily.

During arguments before the Court, petitioner advocate Ashwini Upadhyay clarified that he has not challenged the notification as a whole only as far as it allows the exchange of currency without any proof of identity.