SC to Hear Petitions Challenging Modi Govt’s Demonetisation Exercise

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it will hear the petitions challenging the demonetisation exercise carried out by the BJP-led Central government in 2016. It listed the matter for November 9. 

The apex court noted that there’s a line — ‘Lakshman Rekha’ — for the judiciary that determines how far courts can go to review government’s policy decisions, however, there’s a need to examine the demonetisation of high-value currency and to decide whether the issue has become a mere ‘academic’ exercise. 

Attorney general R Venkataramani said unless the High Denomination Bank Notes (Demonetisation) Act, passed in 1978, is challenged in a proper perspective, the issue will essentially remain academic.

“We always know where the Lakshman Rekha is, but the manner in which it was done has to be examined. We have to hear the counsel to decide that," the bench said.

A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Justice SA Nazeer will hear the matter on November 9. The bench asked the Centre and Reserve Bank of India to file detailed affidavits in the case. 

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