'Misconceived petition': SC junks PIL against PM-CARES fund

New Delhi,Apr 13: The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a petition filed questioning the legality of the constitution of PM CARES Fund for COVID-19 relief.

"This is a completely misconceived petition", Chief Justice of India SA Bodbe said while hearing the PIL filed by lawyer M L Sharma against the setting up of the PM CARES Fund through video-conferencing.

"That cause of action arose to the petitioner on March 28, upon having press release for the formation of impugned PM CARES Fund and appeal by the Prime Minister of India to donate funds in that trust to fight COVID-19 and aid healthcare in future without any ordinance and gazette notification by the Government of India," the public interest litigation (PIL) petition said.

The PIL, which has made all the trustees of the fund as well as the prime minister parties to it, has sought a transfer of the donations received so far in the fund to the Consolidated Fund of India, besides a court-monitored SIT probe into the setting up of the fund.

On March 28, the Centre set up the Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations (PM CARES) Fund with the primary objective to deal with any kind of emergency situation like the one currently posed by the coronavirus outbreak and provide relief to those affected.