# India

Orissa HC quashes petition on Rs 2,000 note demonetisation

The court called the petition challenging the Centre’s decision to demonetize the currency note publicity interest litigation in the garb of public interest.

Statesman News Service | Bhubaneswar | June 6, 2023 7:10 pm

Orissa HC quashes petition on Rs 2,000 note demonetisation

The Orissa High Court on Tuesday quashed a petition which challenged the Centre’s decision to demonetize Rs 2,000 currency note by saying that “it is publicity interest litigation in the garb of public interest”.

“While going through the decisions of the Supreme Court regarding the scope of interference in the economic policy decision of the Government, we are of the view that the present writ petition is publicity interest litigation in the garb of public interest and thus, we are not inclined to entertain the same. Accordingly, the writ petition being devoid of merits stands dismissed,” the vacation bench comprising Justice S K Sahoo and Justice M S Raman stated in the order.

We are, therefore, of the considered view that the Court must defer to legislative judgment in matters relating to social and economic policies and must not interfere unless the exercise of executive power appears to be palpably arbitrary. The Court does not have necessary competence and expertise to adjudicate upon such economic issues. It is also not possible for the Court to assess or evaluate what would be the impact of a particular action and it is best left to the wisdom of the experts, the Court observed in the order.”

Law is well settled that public-interest litigation is a weapon which has to be used with great care and circumspection and the judiciary has to be extremely careful to see that behind the beautiful veil of public interest, a publicity seeking is not lurking. It is to be used as an effective weapon in the armory of law for delivering social justice to the citizens, the order said.

It should be aimed at redressal of genuine public wrong or public injury and should not be publicity oriented which is detrimental to the public interest at large. A publicity interest litigation should be nipped in the bud so that valuable time of the Court is saved which can be effectively utilized in reducing huge pendency of cases, the order concluded.

# India

Will knock the door of SC if rights of Himachal Pradesh not given by the Centre: CM

Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu has said that he will meet the Union Ministers to release the aid to Himachal under the Post Disaster Need Assessment (PDNA).

# Cities

SC directs NCR states to constitute teams to enforce GRAP measures

The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the states falling in the National Capital Region to constitute teams of officials from police and revenue departments to ensure strict enforcing of the measures under Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to combat and curb air-pollution in the national capital.

# India

Thrissur Pooram: SC tells organisers to adhere to 2012 Kerala Captive Elephants Rules

Terming the restrictions as “impractical”, the Supreme Court on Thursday put on hold the Kerala High Court's order on the use of elephants and observing distances between them, the public, flambeau, and the percussion display during festival parades, including the ‘Thrissur Pooram”.