Pegasus: 'Comprehensive Order' Next Week, SC Asks WB Govt to Wait With Judicial Inquiry
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday, August 25, said it expected the West Bengal government to wait before proceeding with the judicial inquiry ordered by it into the revelations made by the Pegasus Project reports.
The court, however, refused to stay the functioning of the judicial commission, comprising former Supreme Court judge Justice Madan B. Lokur and former acting Chief Justice of the Calcutta high court, Justice Jyotirmay Bhattacharya.
LiveLaw has reported that the Supreme Court instead asked the Bengal government to show restraint and was assured by its counsel, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, that it would convey this message to the state government.
On August 18, the apex court had refused to stay the notification issued by the West Bengal government and had issued notices to the Union and Bengal governments after one Global Village Foundation Public Trust moved court against the Mamata Banerjee government's notification on the grounds of jurisdiction.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana and Justice Surya Kant tagged this petition with the several petitions being heard by the apex court.
Bar and Bench has additionally reported that the Supreme Court also said that it is likely to pass a "comprehensive order next week" on the petitions related to the Pegasus revelations.
"We are saying that next week we will pass a comprehensive order," the Bench said while hearing the plea.
As part of the Pegasus Project international media consortium, including The Wire, has revealed that over 300 verified Indian mobile phone numbers were on the list of potential and successful targets for surveillance using the Israeli NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware. Those on the list include opposition politicians, activists, former Supreme Court judges, and several journalists.
On July 26, announcing the commission, Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said, “We wanted the Centre to form a commission to look into Pegasus snooping, but the Union government is sitting idle.”
LiveLaw has also reported that the Bengal government, on Wednesday, filed its counter-affidavit in the matter noting that it was "constrained to constitute the commission due to the inaction of the Central government in the Pegasus issue."
On August 16, in an affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court, the Union government said that it will set up a committee of experts to look into “all aspects” of the Pegasus spyware allegations without offering any other details on the committee.
Senior advocate Harish Salve who appeared for the petitioner on Wednesday submitted that there cannot be a "parallel inquiry" by the Bengal panel.
"Please see nothing is done in the proceedings there while the court is hearing the matter. They have issued notices to public seeking information," Salve said, according to LiveLaw.
Singhvi, in turn, questioned the political affiliation of the petitioner Trust. To this, the bench called for restraint.
"When we are hearing other matters, we expect some restraint. The present issue is connected to other issues. It will have a bearing on it. In all fairness, we expect you to wait," the CJI said.
"This is likely to have pan India impact," Justice Surya Kant added, according to LiveLaw.
After Singhvi pleaded that "between now and next week nothing earth shattering is going to happen," the CJI once again urged constraint.
Eventually, the bench did not stay the functioning of the inquiry panel.
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