CAIT lauds SC's 'introspection'; demands probe against Sabharwal

New Delhi, Dec 12 (UNI) The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) today lauded the Supreme Court's disapproval of the Delhi High Court's judicial activism and demanded that similar introspection be made by the Legislature and the Executive to overcome their shortcomings and an inquiry be ordered into allegations against the former Chief Justice Y K Sabharwal.

Addressing a press meet here organised by the leading traders of the capital, CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal rued that had the apex court expressed its disapproval earlier, it would have contributed substantially in providing needy and genuine relief and protection to the large trading population of the capital affected by the sealing and demolition drives carried out in disregard of the statutory provisions of the Municipal Corporation Act, 1957 and Delhi Development Authority Act 1957.

He also deplored that the authorities had not even bothered about those uprooted and deprived of their livelihood whereas ''compensations are provided by the government to accident or disaster victims anywhere''.

''The 'Lakshman Rekha' in judiciary also applies to the Monitoring Committee constituted by the Supreme Court,'' said Mr Khandelwal and recalled the ''questionable'' modality of the functions of the Committee on many scores resulting in hardships to traders.

''After the Supreme Court gave permission for shops within 20 meters in 24 categories, the Monitoring Committee sealed many such shops calling them branded showrooms. I wonder what is their definition of branded? Would you call things of everyday use like butter, soft drinks and shampoo as branded?'' he asked and admitted that none of the trade leaders owned even an inch of space in any of the malls.

Mr Khandelwal said if the government did not want traders to stay here, they were ready to leave the capital rather than live with the exasperation of complying with new orders every other day.

Calling for the government's directions for an independent inquiry into allegations made by judicial and other personalities against Justice Sabharwal, he wondered why the matter had been put into cold storage despite the demand having been endorsed by Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee.

The CAIT also demanded that all orders relating to the common man passed by Justice Sabharwal be kept in abeyance till the outcome of the inquiry.

UNI