The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre and the RBI to explain by Friday — the next day of hearing — why citizens who failed to deposit old currency notes by December 30 were denied the opportunity to deposit them by March 31, as promised earlier by the Prime Minister on November 8.
The Specified Bank Notes Cessation of liabilities Ordinance allows deposit of old currency notes by only those people who were abroad from November 8 to December 30, members of Armed forces posted in other States, and others who had valid reasons for not depositing the money during the given period. A set of PIls questioned the breach of the assurance by the PM and the subsequent notifications issued by the RBI.
The counsel for the PIl petitioners Sudha and Sharad Mishra said they had genuinely belief that those who fail to deposit the currency notes by December 30 can do so by March 31 at the RBI.
However, the SC also questioned the petitioners for their failure to deposit the money by December 30.