Centre arms itself with a legal strategy to defend PSUs' disinvestment

The move comes after several petitions challenging the policy were filed across the country

The Centre has armed itself with a legal strategy to defend privatisation of public sector undertakings (PSUs). This comes amid a barrage of legal cases being filed to stall the government’s strategic disinvestment move, said a senior government official.

The government’s strategy is to defend privatisation cases on grounds that economic policy matters — including divestment — are not amenable to judicial review and remain under the exclusive purview of the Centre.

This is based on the Supreme Court’s judgment in the Balco case that held that matters of economic policy, including “complex economic matters” such as divestment, are not within the