SNC Lavalin case adjourned to January 2.

Kochi, Dec 20 (UNI) The Kerala High Court today adjourned to January 2, 2007 the review petition filed by the state government and the CBI and other writ petitions on the SNC Lavalin case.

Advocate-Ggeneral C P Sudhakara Prasad submitted that the state government filed the review petition as it wanted to withdraw the earlier affidavit filed by the previous government.

The Court comprising of Chief Justice V K Bali and Justice J B Koshy asked the Advocate-General how the government could change the decision of a Vigilance enquiry in the matter without the permission of the Court. The AG replied that there was no order in that regard and the Cabinet decided the matter.

Counsel for T P Nandakumar, respondent in the review petition, submitted that he strongly objected to the review petition which was not maintainable.

The Court directed the counsel for the respondent to file a counter in the mattter.

It also asked the state government to file a counter in other writ petitions which sought a CBI probe into the case, relating to alleged irregularities in the award of contract to SNC Lavalin, a Canadian company, for the renovation of three hydel projects in the state.

UNI XR PMM AD/DK1950