SC comes to the aid of lawyers over parking woes

Parking woes of the apex court lawyers are likely to lessen in near future as the Supreme Court today asked the Centre to consider allowing them to park their vehicles on its vacant plots around the court premises.
A bench comprising justices V Gopala Gowda and C Nagappan asked Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar to put up a proposal to the Ministry of Urban Development (UD) for allowing parking of lawyers' vehicles in the area, presently managed by India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO).
The court came down heavily on the ITPO when its counsel said that these plots are being used for parking lots of visitors to the international events held at Pragati Maidan.

"You (ITPO) don't have any right at all," the bench said.
"Earlier, lawyers used to park their vehicles. It has now been stopped.... Since the property belongs to the UD ministry, the Solicitor General is asked to put up a proposal in the ministry for taking necessary steps," it said.
The court also asked the law officer to consult Delhi Police and CPWD in this regard and fixed the matter for further hearing on December 18.

The bench is hearing a PIL filed by Indian Council of Legal Aid and Advice in 2000.
The PIL has also sought construction of an automatic Multilevel Multi-ground Parking for Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) members.

A similar multilevel parking facility has been constructed in the Delhi High Court premises.
Earlier, the court had asked the SCBA to give suggestions on the issue to the Delhi Government.