On Monday, the Supreme Court has questioned the government as to why they went back on their word of extending the date of depositing the Demonetised notes in the bank to March 31, 2017.
The Bench headed by Chief Justice of IndiaJ. S. Khehar and members D.Y. Chandrachud and S.K. Kaul has given the government time till Friday to give a response on this. This move was initiated by SC as a result of a bunch of petitions filed by individuals and also companies. The plea challenged the Specified Bank Notes (Cessation of Liabilities) Ordinance, released on December 13, 2016, which read that the demonetised notes will be penalized after December 31, 2016.
The petitioners mentioned that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his speech on November 8, 2016, while announcing Demonetisation of Rs. 500 and Rs. 100 notes and the following RBI notification stated that the citizens will be able to deposit money after December 31, 2016, until March 31, 2017. But this was later disqualified. The bench recorded the submissions of the petitioners, and said: “It is submitted that petitioner had genuine reasons and yet no attention was paid to his predicament though he brought it to the notice of the authorities.”
In the notice to the government, the bench mentioned the petitioner’s main concern as to why that despite the announcement of final date will be extended to March 31 “no individual was allowed to deposit after December 31, 2016.” The Government is yet to release a statement on this notice by the Supreme Court.
