SC and Centre heading for another round of confrontation

New Delhi, Jan 29 (UNI) With today's announcement by Union Urban Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy that there will be no sealing till February 7 when the government is planning to notify the Master Plan 2021 for Delhi, the Centre is heading for another round of confrontation with the Supreme Court.

The Union Minister's statement is totally in contravention of the Supreme Court directions dated September 29 and October 18, 2006, that all traders protected by the two impugned notification on September 7 and 15, 2006 will have to submit affidavits of undertaking to the effect that they will immediately cease the commercial activities if the two notifications are invalidated by the apex court.

As per the direction of the Supreme Court the shopkeepers who failed to file affidavit within the deadline fixed by the apex court will render their premises liable to be sealed.

According to the apex court's direction, the sealing is to be resumed from February 1, 2007. Today's assurance given by the government to the traders virtually amounts to bypassing the highest court.

The main matter is coming up for hearing in the Supreme Court on February 1 while the two applications moved by the Centre and the MCD, seeking stay of the court's order till the final disposal of the two applications, are coming up on February 2.

The court had also restrained the central government from issuing any further notification without prior permission of the court.

Over 300,000 traders have to meet the deadline set by the apex court if they want to avoid sealing.

The government had permitted commercial activities on 2,183 roads in the city through this notification.

Former Delhi Chief Secretary Omesh Sehgal has already threatened to challenge the new Master Plan in the Supreme Court, whenever it is notified.

UNI