The scam scarred Congress Government is trying hard to save its face but in vain. The more desperate it gets the worse it is facing from the people of India. Since its Corrupt Minister A. Raja’s involvement in the 2g Spectrum Scam, the government has already filed a review petition and an interlocutory application. Now it has approved a presidential reference which would seek the Supreme Court’s view on key questions regarding 2G spectrum allocation.
What is a presidential reference?
It is the power to make a presidential reference under Article 143 is used in public interest, with the President writing to the Supreme Court to seek its views on important questions of law. We do note that there have been instances in the past when the SC has refused to give its opinion on controversial matters raised in presidential reference. It is rarely used until now, but with Congress arrogance you can expect anything.
For instance, In October 1994, a three-judge SC Bench had unanimously rejected a presidential reference seeking its opinion on whether an ancient Hindu temple existed at the site of the demolished structure at Ayodhya. Incidentally, the last presidential reference, made in 2004, about sharing of river water between Punjab and Haryana is pending in the SC.
Questions in the presidential reference, as per press reports, suggest that a larger-than-expected Pandora’s box is likely being opened with questions asked on even pre-2001 license grants as their is possibility of petitions being filed challenging (1) the legality of these licenses and/or (2) prices at which spectrum was granted since 2001.