The Rajasthan High Court on Friday served notices to the Central and state governments over petitions challenging a controversial ordinance that provides immunity to public servants against investigation, The Hindu reported.
A division bench headed by Justice Ajay Rastogi clubbed the seven writ petitions filed against the ordinance for hearing. The case will be next heard on November 27, reported ANI.
State Congress Committee President Sachin Pilot, AAP leader Poonam Chand Bhandari and the People’s Union for Civil Liberties are among those who have challenged the ordinance in the High Court, The Hindu reported.
The Criminal Laws (Rajasthan Amendment) Ordinance, 2017, bars courts from taking up cases against public servants, including legislators, ministers and officials, without its permission. Till then, the media too cannot name the public servant.
The Rajasthan government’s move has drawn criticism not only from the Opposition but also from Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs Ghanshyam Tiwari and Narpat Singh Rajvi. Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi too had weighed in on the matter, reminding Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje: “It’s 2017, not 1817.”
On Tuesday, the government had referred the matter to a select committee of the state Assembly.
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