NEW DELHI: The Centre on Friday opposed a PIL seeking reduced air purifier rates, telling the Delhi High Court that judicial intervention would violate the principle of ‘separation of powers.’
“This will open up a Pandora’s box,” the Centre told a vacation bench of justices Vikas Mahajan and Vinod Kumar after the court questioned why the rates couldn’t be brought “within reach of the common man”.
Additional Solicitor General N Venkataraman, for the Centre, said there was already a legislative process involving parliamentary standing committee reports and GST Council deliberations.
“How can this process be scuttled through a court process?” he asked.
On the court’s earlier suggestion for a virtual GST Council meeting given Delhi’s air pollution crisis, the Centre said it was “not possible” as regulations require physical presence of all members.
“This is not a PIL at all. GST is only a ruse...We are scared from the constitutional perspective. It is doctrine of separation of powers,” the ASG said, adding the Centre couldn’t commit to a Council meeting date.
The bench had noted that air purifiers are pricey, ranging from Rs 10,000-12,000 Rs 60,000. “It is beyond the reach of a common man. Why not bring it down to a reasonable level...What is the difficulty in the GST Council meeting?” it asked.
The ASG said, “It is a loaded petition, we want to know who is behind this... Somebody wants a monopoly in air purifiers... Health ministry is not even a party.” The court permitted the Centre to file a counter-affidavit within 10 days.