Benami law: Centre moves SC with an 'unusual request' over review on verdict

The Centre on Tuesday sought from the Supreme Court an open court hearing on its plea seeking review of the judgement by which several provisions of the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Amendment Act, 2016 were struck down.

A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice P S Narasimha was urged by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, that the review plea be heard in open court keeping in mind the importance of the issue.

“This is an unusual request. We seek an open court hearing of the review. Due to this judgement, a lot of orders are being passed even though some of the provisions of the Benami Act were not even under challenge. Like the retrospectivity could not have been looked into (by the SC bench),” the top law officer said.

“We will consider it,” the CJI said.

Except death penalty cases, the review pleas are usually decided by judges concerned in chambers by circulation.

The top court, on August 23 last year, had struck down some provisions of the Benami law.

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