The government files application saying the Supreme Court misinterpreted a note, causing a controversy that must be ‘rectified’.
New Delhi: The Narendra Modi government filed an application Saturday seeking correction of two lines in the controversial ‘paragraph 25’ of the Supreme Court order on the Rafale fighter jet deal.
The top court “misinterpreted” a note filed along with the sealed cover, said the government application, as it sought to correct ‘grammatical errors’ in the order.
The court observation has resulted in a controversy that must be rectified in the interest of justice, it added.
In the contentious paragraph, the top court Friday said that the pricing details of the deal have been shared with the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) and the CAG report has been examined by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Parliament.
“Only a redacted portion of the report was placed before the Parliament, and is in public domain,” the court order read.
In its application, the government said that it’s factually correct that it shared the price details with the CAG.
However, it added that the second part of the sentence in the judgment, with regard to the PAC, is to the effect that “the report of the CAG is (emphasis added) examined by the PAC. Only a redacted version of the report is (emphasis added) placed before the Parliament and in public domain.”
The government filed for the clarification after PAC chairman and Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge accused the Centre of misleading the top court.
On Friday, the apex court threw its weight behind the government’s deal with France for the purchase of 36 Rafale fighter aircraft, dismissing petitions seeking a probe.
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‘Cheated the people’
As the government moved the Supreme Court for ‘rectification’, the Congress alleged that the Centre misled the top court and committed contempt of court and perjury.
“The BJP has hoodwinked the nation and cheated the people. Now it has the guts to do the same to mislead the apex court,” said Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi.
“There is serious misrepresentation of vital, significant facts to the apex court. This amounts to contempt (of court), (breach of) privilege as well as perjury,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Kharge said, “I will request the PAC members to call the Attorney General (AG) and the Comptroller and Auditor General to ask them when the CAG report on the Rafale deal was tabled in Parliament.”
Kharge refuted the facts as mentioned in the court order Friday. “When has the CAG discussed the PAC report? It has not been tabled so far.”
“Wrong information is being fed in the Supreme Court, it is a matter of shock. The government should apologise for misleading Supreme Court by presenting wrong facts on CAG report before Supreme Court,” said Kharge.
The judgment caused an uproar in the Parliament, with the government facing criticism from all quarters over “misleading” the Supreme Court.
With PTI inputs.