PM Cares Fund: The court has expressed displeasure over the one-page reply given by the PMO on a petition filed in the Delhi High Court regarding the transparency of the PM Cares Fund. The Delhi High Court termed the question related to the legal framework of PM Cares as “important”. On the other hand, the Delhi High Court on Tuesday objected to a one-page reply given by the Prime Minister’s Office.
A bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramaniam Prasad, hearing the matter, said, “You have filed a reply in the matter. Just one page on such an important issue? This is only a one page answer. This is the affidavit of one Pradeep Kumar Srivastava (Under Secretary, Prime Minister’s Office). Nothing beyond that? Such an important issue and there is only one page answer on it. A detailed report should have been filed on this.”
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The court told Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, “You file your reply in a proper manner. This matter is not so easy. We need a detailed answer on this. Because this matter will also go to the top court. We have to pass an order on every point raised.”
Regarding PM Cares Fund, petitioner Samyak Gangwal, through senior advocate Shyam Dewan, has demanded that this fund be declared as an institution of the government under Article 12 of the Constitution. Apart from this, the audit report of the fund should also be issued from time to time on the PM Cares website.
Earlier, an affidavit was filed in this matter on behalf of an Under Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office. In which it was told that PM is discharging his functions in Cares Trust. There is transparency and the fund is audited by an auditor.