The Supreme Court today slammed the Centre for "fooling" people and not banning the manual scavenging despite its repeated promises that it would amend the Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act to eliminate the practice.
"We don't want this type of vague affidavit. This shows you (Centre) are not serious. You are saying the same thing for the last six months. You are fooling the people of this country.
"It is really unfortunate that even 65 years after the Independence, the manual scavenging continues in this country.
The Directive Principles of State Policy mandates us to prohibit manual scavenging but you are not serious in introducing an appropriate legislation," a bench of justices H L Dattu and C K Prasad observed.
Dissatisfied with the Centre?s affidavit, the bench asked Additional Solicitor General Haren Raval to inform the court on August 27 whether the Bill would be introduced in the monsoon session so that it could pass appropriate orders.
The bench was dealing with the appeal filed by the Centre against a Madras High Court order of June 2011 warning that if it failed to amend the law within two months, the court would direct personal appearance of any of the high dignitaries, be it, from the PMO Secretariat or other departments.
The apex court while staying the order issued notice to the petitioner A Narayanan of Virugambakkam, on whose PIL the high court had issued the directions.
Raval told the bench that the Cabinet note was ready for bringing amendments to the Act and once the Cabinet approves the amendments, a Bill would be introduced.