The issue is coming up before Chief Justice of India T S Thakur for the fourth time in the past 11 days, starting with the first hearing on November 15, second on November 18, third on November 21 and fourth on November 23.
New Delhi : Problems faced by people across the country from the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes will be once again highlighted before the Supreme Court on Friday even as the Centre filed an affidavit justifying the decision as an attempt to unearth the black money of last seven decades distorting the Indian economy.
The issue is coming up before Chief Justice of India T S Thakur for the fourth time in the past 11 days, starting with the first hearing on November 15, second on November 18, third on November 21 and fourth on November 23.
The Bench of Chief Justice T S Thakur and Justice Dr D Y Chandrachud, before which the case is listed, did not give any relief on the four PILs challenging the demonetisation in the last hearing on November 15, but asked the Centre to spell out on November 25 measures to alleviate inconvenience and hardship to the traumatised common man standing in queues and running from bank to bank for a little bit of own hard-earned money. CPI(M) has also filed an application to join the issue before the Apex Court.
The Centre filed an affidavit day ahead of the hearing as sought by the court on November 15, sensing the concern of the CJI who sought complete details of steps taken before and after the demonetisation in the last hearing and refusing for the second time on Wednesday to bunch together all petitions moved before various High Court for the government’s convenience, fixing the next hearing on December 2.
On the strength of the Court noting that it won’t hinder the government’s larger objective of getting rid of the black money, the affidavit traced steps taken to root out the black money, starting with initiating of the court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) and four months’ window given to people to declare their unaccounted money and pay off the taxes.
The affidavit says the real intent behind the demonetisation is to fight black money, corruption and fake currency notes and put to an end the illegal parallel economy running in the country. “Demonetisation is an attempt to unearth black money, which has been accumulated in the country in the past seven decades,” the affidavit stressed.
It also reiterates what Attorney General Rohatgi told the court that the demonetisation decision is also aimed at reducing the ratio of cash transactions to the GDP which stood at 12% as against the global average of 4%. It said the government’s endeavour is to encourage digital transactions in the country.
The Centre also contended that the decision will check funding of terror groups in the country, pointing out how the terror funding has stopped since the demonetisation.
