Delhi High Court case on non-disclosure of information of foreign firms by UIDAI pending for last 6 years
Something remains rotten in the state of Denmark, says Shakespeare in Hamlet. So is the case with Delhi High Court case on non-disclosure of info on foreign firms like ACCENTURE & SAFRAN Group. Notably, 13th judge heard it on 11th December, 2019 and adjourned it to May 1, 2020. No new date has been scheduled for hearing it so far.
Writ Petition (Civil) No. 9143/2014, Delhi High Court case on non-disclosure of information of foreign firms by UIDAI despite CIC's order has been pending since 2014. It has beeen listed 22 times before 10 different single judge benches It was listed for hearing on 19 November 2018 before Justice Vibhu Bakhru. 1st hearing too was before him.
But instead of Jusatice Bakhru, on November 19, 2018, another new judge, Justice Suresh Kumar Kait heard the matter and passed the order: “Mr Lalit Bhasin, learned counsel appearing on behalf of the proposed respondent M/s Accenture services Pvt.Ltd. seeks time to file reply to the instant application.Let needful be done within four weeks.On taking steps, let service be affected upon other non-applicants, returnable on 14.03.2019.”
On March 14, 2019, another fresh judge, Justice V. Kameswar Rao heard the matter and passed the order: “Let a copy of the application seeking impleadment be given to the counsels for the proposed respondent Nos.4 and 5. Reply to the application be filed within four weeks.Rejoinder, if any, be filed within two weeks thereafter.List on August 28, 2019.”
On August 28, 2019, yet another new judge, Justice Jayant Nath heard the matter and passed the order: “At request of the learned counsel for the petitioner, adjourned to 11.12.2019.”
So far 13 judges have heard the case within a span of 6 years. On 11th December, 2019, the case came before Justice Jayant Nath. He passed an order saying, "On the request of the learned counsel for the respondents, adjourned to 01.05.2020".
Can one ask Hon’ble Delhi High Court Chief Justice & Hon’ble Registrar General as to why this national security related case is not getting the priority it deserves? Big Data foreign firms seem to have subverted this public institution as well, no?
Gopal Krishna
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