SC allows govt to withdraw review plea on 2G verdict

The Supreme Court today allowed the government to withdraw its petition seeking review of the 2G judgement after rapping it for circulating a letter on its intention to various parties linked to the matter.

The apex court granted withdrawal of the review petition on the "oral request" made by Additional Solicitor General Indira Jaising.

She made the request on the advice of a Bench comprising Justices G S Singhvi and K S Radhakrishnan, which took strong exception to the Centre seeking withdrawal of the review petition by circulating a letter.

A letter was circulated on May 8 to the parties linked to the matter, saying an application would be moved on May 10 for withdrawing the petition seeking review of the February 2 judgement which had held the first come-first serve policy as unconstitutional. The apex court had also cancelled 122 2G licences, allotted during the tenure of former Telecom Minister A Raja.

The Centre's letter circulated to various parties said, "In view of the fact that only limited notice has been issued, the petitioners do not want to press the review petition and will be praying for withdrawal of the review petition."

"You should have filed a proper application. Please tell us when was the occasion to request for constituting an appropriate bench," the court asked while referring to the content of the letter in which a request was made for constituting an appropriate bench.

"When the matter was listed for today, what was the need for the advocate to circulate a letter asking for constituting a bench by the CJI," the Bench said.

The bench said it has been frequently finding such type of letters in which "indecorate language is being used".

The government's plea for withdrawal of the review petition was opposed at the outset by advocate Prashant Bhushan appearing for the NGO, Centre for Public Interest Litigation, on whose petition and others' CBI probe was ordered in the 2G spectrum scam.

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