SC gives Centre opportunity to file proper affidavit on NGT

The Supreme Court today gave a fresh opportunity to the Centre to file a proper affidavit relating to the functioning of the Pune Bench of the National Green Tribunal where issues of appointment and accommodation for members and staff has been pending.
A bench headed by Justice G S Singhvi granted two weeks to the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) to file its affidavit after Solicitor General Mohan Parasaran accepted that it was not proper one in which questions were raised about the functioning and powers of the tribunal.
The Centre preferred to withdraw the affidavit after the bench asked how a government official can question functioning of the tribunal.

The bench also made it clear that in future any communication to the NGT Chairman would be done by the Secretary, MoEF.
The bench had on December 4, last year, warned that failure to comply with its orders would force it to stay such appointments and had asked the Centre to take corrective measures to bring uniformity in the prevailing statutes governing the functioning of tribunals.
The bench was anguished over the manner in which judges appointed to the posts were denied accommodation or facilities to which they were entitled to under the respective statutes.
The court was hearing a matter relating to setting up of benches and accommodation for the members of the National Green Tribunal (NGT).