SC refuses to stay demonetisation proceedings in High Courts

The Supreme Court today sought response of all the petitioners, who have challenged the demonetisation move in different high courts.

It issued notice to the petitioners on a plea by the Centre seeking transfer of all these matters to either the apex court or one of the high courts.

However, a three-judge bench refused the Centre's request to stay the proceedings pending before various high courts, saying people may get "immediate relief" from them.

During the hearing, the bench asked the Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi about the appropriate steps considered by the government after demonetisation.

Responding to it, the Attorney General said the situation is "much better" and more than six lakh crore rupee have been deposited uptil now in the banks since the demonetisation move.

He told the bench that government has set up a committee which will assess the ground situation in the country on demonetisation.

The bench has fixed the matter for December 2 and has directed the petitioners before different high courts to file their response on Centre's transfer plea by then.