New Delhi, Jan 24: The Delhi High Court on Monday listed for April 30 a Public Interest litigation (PIL) concerning the safety and security of the Prime Minister, considering the pendency of overlapping issues before the Supreme Court.
A bench headed by Chief Justice D. N. Patel initially said that it would ask the Centre to consider as representation the PIL which seeks a declaration that all authorities, civil or military, shall act under the supervision of the Special Protection Group (SPG) in matters of security of the Prime Minister and his immediate family members.
Lawyer V. Govinda Ramanan, representing the petitioner Ashish Kumar, said that the plea was on a limited point of law that the SPG should have the power of superintendence in respect of the PM’s safety and that he has already made a representation to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The petitioner has claimed that he filed the PIL in view of media reports on a security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Punjab.
Central government counsel Amit Mahajan informed the court that the Supreme Court is already seized of overlapping issues. The bench, also comprising Justice Jyoti Singh, adjourned the hearing on the PIL and noted that the apex court has passed directions and is awaiting the report of the committee already appointed by it.
