Centre moves Supreme Court on sealing drive

New Delhi, Nov 1 (UNI) The Centre today moved the Supreme Court seeking modification of its September 29 order to enable the more than 40,000 traders, who had filed affidavits that they would close down their undertakings, continue their business until the final decision of the court on the sealing issue.

This relief would be provided to the traders on them filing an additional affidavit latest by Jan 31, 2007 giving an undertaking that they will close down their shops if the notifications dated September 7 and 15, 2006 are quashed by the apex court as illegal.

The Centre in the application said sealing of the premises of more than 40,000 traders may also create law and order problems in the national capital. The Centre urged that these establishments be allowed to continue till the final decision is taken.

The application said the sealing drive will not only affect the traders but also lakhs of employees who are dependent on these shops for their livelihood.

The deadline fixed by the court directing these establishments to close down their shops expired yesterday and the sealing process was to be resumed from today. However, it has been deferred by a day by the Supreme Court appointed monitoring committee as the three-day bandh called by the traders in protest against sealing ends today.

The monitoring committee in its report filed in the apex court on October 30 requested the court to defer resumption of sealing amid apprehensions of deteriorating law and order situation in the city.

UNI AKS/SC AK DS1655