SC Asks Delhi Govt to Pay Rs 25 Lakh Each to Lawyers Assisting as Amicus Curiea in PIL on Sealing Op

The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the Delhi government to pay within two months a sum of Rs 25 lakh each to three lawyers who have been assisting it as amicus curiae in hearing of a PIL filed by environmentalist MC Mehta relating to illegal constriction and consequential sealing of premises in the national capital.

A bench, headed by Justice Arun Mishra, had special praise for Senior Advocate Ranjit Kumar, who has also been assisting the top court as an amicus curiae, as he refused to accept Rs 50 lakh as token amount directed to be paid by the Delhi government on behalf of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.

“We feel that Ranjit Kumar, Amicus Curiae, has rendered selfless services with total devotion to the public cause, he should be adequately honoured at least, so we appreciate the humane services and valuable guidance given by Ranjit Kumar to the Court by way of his thorough preparation in the matter and he is a valuable asset to this case,” it noted in its order. The apex court said Kumar, who is a former Solicitor General, has contributed to the betterment of the environment and other aspects to the best of his ability and capacity.

The top court said that it has “considered the services rendered by Ranjit Kumar, Aparajita Singh, Anitha Shenoy, senior counsel and amicus curiae and ADN Rao, counsel and Amicus Curiae. We deem it fit to direct the payment of Rs 50 Lakhs to Ranjit Kumar and Rs 25 Lakhs each” to others. It will be without prejudice to their further adjusting this amount by way of raising the claim, as ordered by this Court, with the concerned Municipal Corporations, the order said.

“Let the Govt.of NCT of Delhi make the payment as the financial constraint is being faced by the Municipal Corporations. Let the payment be made within a period of two months from today,” the court said.

During the hearing, the bench took note of the submissions of senior advocate Aishwarya Bhati that there was a news published in a newspaper which indicated that “an entire Aravali hillock has been flattened to build an approach road for farmhouses being constructed in Village Bandhwari, around 1.5 kms off the GurgaonFaridabad road.”

“Anil Grover, Additional Advocate General appearing on behalf of the State of Haryana, has assured us that needful will be done to stop further damage today itself in the light of the report that has been published . "Let appropriate action be taken and a report be submitted to this Court forthwith. We direct the District Magistrate and police authorities to take appropriate action forthwith, as assured by Anil Grover, AAG,” it noted in the order.

Earlier, the top court, in its August 14 judgement, had said that encroachment is a matter of concern but the monitoring committee, set up in 2006 to identify unauthorised structures and check misuse of residential properties in Delhi, "cannot exceed its power" and take any action beyond its authorization. It had also directed that the properties, sealed as per the monitoring committee's April last year report, be de-sealed and possession be restored to the owners forthwith.