Debangana Ray
Published on June 29, 2022 at 17:48 IST
The Supreme Court stayed the orders passed by the Tripura High Court seeking the production of files of the Ministry of Home Affairs relating to the security covers given to billionaire businessman Mukesh Ambani and his family.
A vacation bench comprising of Justices Surya Kant and JB Pardiwala passed an interim order by the central government challenging the High court’s orders.
The Bench stated that, “Issue notice returnable on 22nd July, 2022. Meanwhile implementation of orders dated 31.05.2022 and 21.06.2022 passed by Tripura HC shall remain stayed”
The Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta, on behalf of the centre stated that the high court lacks territorial jurisdiction to entertain the matter and the cover given to individuals cannot be a subject matter of judicial review.
The Central Government has argued in the petition that the impugned orders has been passed by the in a PIL filed by an individual person who had no locus in the matter
“Therefore, the territorial jurisdiction of the State of Tripura was completely alien to the subject matter of petition.”
“However, despite the same the Hon’ble High Court has directed the production of the original file regarding the threat perception and assessment report of the said Respondents for access, when it had no territorial jurisdiction or any legal basis to make such an order.”
Therefore, the interim orders passed by the Hon’ble High Court are completely without jurisdiction and unsustainable in the eyes in law and thus liable to be set aside,” the plea stated.