Discretionary Allotment To Law Secys Wife Unfortunate: Hc

The Delhi High Court yesterday observed that allotment of a petrol pump to the law secretarys wife, Usha Aggarwal, from the discretionary quota of former petroleum minister Satish Sharmas discretionary quota was very unfortunate.

A division bench comprising Justice Y K Sabharwal and Justice D K Jain yesterday examined the question of cancellation of allotments made to 22 persons including Aggarwal and brother of Satya Sai Baba of Puttaparthy, P V Janaki Ramaiah, from ministers discretionary quota during 1992-96 and reserved final judgement on these.

While dealing with the case relating to law secretarys wife, the bench observed that files of various departments go to the law ministry and such a person (law secretary) getting an allotment for his relative is very unfortunate. Most of the persons to whom the High Court had issued show cause notice, told the bench that at the time of the exercise of the discretion by the minister there was no guideline or proforma in this regard and hence they should not be penalised for this. The High Court has so far issued show cause notices to over 100 persons who according to public interest litigation filed by the Centre for Public Interest were made without following any rule and were arbitrary in nature.

A independent committee set up by the court had examined 432 cases of discretionary allotments made during the tenure of B Shankaranand and his successor Satish Sharma and prima facie held that in 99 per cent of the cases, the allotment was arbitrary. However, it added that there might be some deserving cases in this allocations.