HC reserves order on Haryana's appeal against Maruti

New Delhi, Aug 25: The Delhi High Court today reserved its ruling on Haryana's plea challenging its order restraining the state from prosecuting car maker Maruti for not having prior environment clearance (EC) for its unit in Rohtak.

A bench, headed by Chief Justice G Rohini, said it will pass orders on the issues raised by the Haryana State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) in its appeal as well as whether the petition is barred by time as there was a delay of 55 days in filing it.

During the proceedings, the court questioned how the state can challenge an order which was passed after both sides agreed to an amicable settlement of the issue.

"An amicable settlement has been done. How can you go back on that? The single judge had passed the order on the basis of the submissions made by you" the court said.

The high court had on May 26 restrained Haryana from initiating proceedings against Maruti saying the company had not obtained prior EC as it believed the EIA notification did not apply to it, adding Maruti "could not be said to have acted with malafide intent."

The order was passed after the Additional Advocate General for the state had submitted before a single-judge bench of the high court that it supports an amicable resolution of the disputes.

It had also said that if the legality and validity of the 2006 notification is upheld and Maruti as well as its directors undertake to obtain ex-post facto EC and comply with its terms and conditions for project in Rohtak and all future projects in Haryana, the state would consider not initiating any criminal action against the company for not procuring prior EC with regard to the present project.

PTI