SC ticks off Centre on info panel review plea

The Supreme Court on Monday asked the government to clearly spell out the legal points on which it has sought review of the court's verdict making it mandatory to appoint only judges as heads of Central and state information commissions. HT reports.

The Supreme Court on Monday asked the government to clearly spell out the legal points on which it has sought review of the court's verdict making it mandatory to appoint only judges as heads of Central and state information commissions.

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A bench of justice AK Patnaik and justice Swatanter Kumar said it may "throw out" the review petition if the government didn't answer its queries properly.

"You are not answering the court's questions. Either you answer the questions intellectually or if you argue this way, we will throw out your review petition," the bench told Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Amarjit Singh Chandiok.

The ASG replied: "If there is an anxiety to dismiss it, there is no problem."

During the last hearing, the apex court had said its verdict for appointment of people from judicial background in information panels was not aimed at rehabilitating judges but to make the panels independent of government's influence.