Stay off legislative turf: Govt on GST nudge
NEW DELHI: The Centre on Friday opposed a PIL seeking reduced air purifier rates, telling the Delhi High Court that judicial intervention would violate the principle of separation of powers. This will open up a Pandoras box, the Centre told a vacation bench of justices Vikas Mahajan and Vinod Kumar after the court questioned why the rates couldnt be brought within reach of the common man. Additional Solicitor General N Venkataraman, for the Centre, said there was already a legislative process involving parliamentary standing committee reports and GST Council deliberations. How can this process be scuttled through a court process? he asked. On the courts earlier suggestion for a virtual GST Council meeting given Delhis air pollution crisis, the Centre said it was not possible as regulations require physical presence of all members. This is not a PIL at all. GST is only a ruse...We are scared from the constitutional perspective. It is doctrine of separation of powers, the ASG said, adding the Centre couldnt commit to a Council meeting date. The bench had noted that air purifiers are pricey, ranging from Rs 10,000-12,000 Rs 60,000. It is beyond the reach of a common man. Why not bring it down to a reasonable level...What is the difficulty in the GST Council meeting? it asked. The ASG said, It is a loaded petition, we want to know who is behind this... Somebody wants a monopoly in air purifiers... Health ministry is not even a party. The court permitted the Centre to file a counter-affidavit within 10 days.
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