CPIL questions Presidential Reference in 2G scam hearing

The Supreme Court on Tuesday has begun hearing on the Presidential Reference in the 2G spectrum scam case. CNBC-TV18's Malvika Jain reports on the day's highlight when the Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL) questioning the sustainability of the Presidential Reference. The government argued that the doctrine of public trust could not be applied to all natural resources.

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The Centre for Public Interest Litigation which is the original applicant and petitioner in the 2G scam case, on Tuesday said that either the Supreme Court reframe the questions raised for Presidential Reference or refuse to answer the questions which have been raised by the government at this stage.
The questions under consideration by the Supreme Court include whether an auction is the best method for granting of natural resources and the extent the Supreme Court or other courts can actually intervene in the policy-making domain of the government.
According to Centre for Public Interest Litigation’s plea, the government has actually attempted to overrule the 2G cancellation order by raising these questions and it has argued that the Supreme Court does not have the power to overrule its judgments on the basis of its advisory jurisdiction.
So, according to the CPIL, the Presidential Reference is actually mala fide, but the Court has not passed any order to this effect and the hearing is going to continue on Wednesday.
Today, the government argued that an auction was not the only method for grant of resources and the doctrine of public trust could not be applied to all natural resources. For now, the Presidential Reference is still under consideration by the Supreme Court.