Congress, which has challenged a Delhi High Court verdict holding it and BJP prima facie guilty of violating the law on foreign funding, today sought time from the Supreme Court to clarify the effect of the amendment brought this year to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, 2010 in their matter.
“The counsel for petitioner (Congress party) has sought adjournment to seek instructions about the effect of amendment to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act in their matter.
The prayer is allowed,” a three-judge bench headed by Justice J S Khehar said.
The bench, also comprising Justices Arun Mishra and A M Khanwilkar, fixed the matter for hearing on November 29 after senior advocate Mohan Parasaran, representing Congress, said he would argue the matter after seeking instructions.
Congress told the bench that the amendment introduced in February this year has retrospective effect and their appeal against the Delhi High Court judgement has become infructuous.
To this, the bench asked whether the party wants to argue the matter or simply say that their petition has become infructuous, then it will dispose it of.
The amendment brought in the 2010 Act is aimed at easing the flow of donations from foreign companies in the name of corporate social responsibility.
The high court, in its judgement pronounced on March 28, 2014, had said that by receiving donations from UK-based Vedanta Resources’ subsidiaries, the two mainstream political parties had violated the law concerned.
It had also directed the Centre and Election Commission to take appropriate action against them within six months.
During the hearing today, the bench asked Parasaran, “If you are saying that amendment has made the petition infructuous, then its over. If you will ask us the determine the issue, we will hear it.”
To this, Parasaran said, “We will argue this matter.
( Source – PTI )
