Lalu declines to comment on Gujarat H C ruling

Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, Oct 13 (UNI) Union Minister for Railways Lalu Prasad today declined to comment on the Gujarat High Court judgement which termed the setting up of the U C Banerjee Committee by the Railway Ministry as ''unconstitutional, illegal and void'' and said its report should not be tabled in Parliament.

Speaking to newspersons after inaugurating a railway building at Bapatla Railway Station, Mr Lalu said ''I will not comment without reading the judgement. I would take a decision after thoroughly studying the court's direction''.

Coming down heavily on the Railway Ministry for appointing the Committee to probe into certain conspiracy aspects of the Godhra Train Carnage, Justice D M Patel said the Indian Railways had no authority to appoint such a Committee.

''It has been done in gross violation of the provisions contained in sections 113, 114, 115, 116 and 119 of the Indian Railway Act'', the court observed.

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