[dropcap]A[/dropcap] three-judge bench comprising of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi, Justices U U Lalit and K M Joseph has today, October 31, 2018, directed the Government of India to place before it in a sealed envelope the pricing details related to the Rafale deal within 10 days. The Attorney General for India K K Venugopal objected citing the Official Secrets Act 1923 and said details of pricing and strategic cannot be shared with anyone. To this, Court told the AG to file an affidavit to this effect and court would examine the same.
Supreme Court orders government centre to place before it the pricing & strategic strat details of the Rafale purchase. This information to be furnished to the court in a sealed envelope within 10 days. Attorney General objected it citing official secrets act.
— The Leaflet (@TheLeaflet_in) October 31, 2018
Supreme Court says if the pricing & strategic details cannot be given to the Court in a sealed envelope in view of official secrets act then Government to file affidavit to this effect.
— The Leaflet (@TheLeaflet_in) October 31, 2018
Decision making process (excluding of pricing & strategic details) to be shared with the petitioners in the matter, says Supreme Court.
— The Leaflet (@TheLeaflet_in) October 31, 2018
Next date of hearing is November 14, 2018
— The Leaflet (@TheLeaflet_in) October 31, 2018
On October 10, 2018, Court had asked for the decision-making process to be provided to it in a sealed envelope. The Court has now ordered that same decision-making process (excluding pricing and strategic details) would be made available to the petitioners before the Court in the matter.
Read the order passed by the Supreme Court today. Court has asked for details regarding pricing in a sealed envelope. Further, information that can legitimately be brought into public domain be made available to the petitioners. pic.twitter.com/yY7psQE2GR
— The Leaflet (@TheLeaflet_in) October 31, 2018
With regard to the CBI probe as pressed by petitioner Prashant Bhushan, Yashwant Sinha and Arun Shourie, the Court asked them to wait for the same.