New Delhi: Supreme Court on Wednesday entertained an out-of-turn mention for urgent hearing of a Delhi govt petition seeking release of Rs 3,000 crore for Delhi Jal Board alleging that it was being illegally blocked despite assembly passing the budget provisioning the amount for maintaining and improving water supply to Delhiites.
Senior advocate A M Singhvi told a bench of CJI D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra that unless Rs 3,000 crore is released prior to March 31, it would lapse, posing a serious problem in supplying and augmenting drinking water. He requested for listing of Delhi govt’s petition, which is scheduled for hearing on April 1, before March 31. The bench said even if it hears the petition after March 31, and if it accepts Delhi govt’s plea, there would be no difficulty in ordering release of funds.