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March 12, 2001
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SC raps Chhattisgarh over Balco issue

Onkar Singh in New Delhi

The Supreme Court on Monday pulled up the state government of Chhattisgarh and directed the state administration to ensure that no worker or official of the new management of Balco is prevented from either going in to or coming out of the plant.

The two-judge bench of the apex court consisting of Justice B N Kirpal and Justice Rumapal heard the application moved by the Union government in which the Centre had alleged that the state administration was preventing the employees of workers from joining the duty and more then 100 employees were still trapped in the plant.

Attorney General of India Soli Sorabjee and Solicitor General of India Harish Salve represented the Union government, along with a battery of lawyers.

While noted constitution expert and Congress Member of Parliament Kapil Sibal along with Advocate General of the State Ravinder Srivastav represented the state of Chhattisgarh.

Appearing for the state administration Kapil Sibal denied that any employee was trapped in the plant and the workers who were willing to join duty were being prevented from doing so.

"The law and order is the constitutional responsibility of the state government and the Chhattisgarh administration is discharging its duty. We have been doing so in the past, we are doing so now and we will continue to do so in future as well," he assured the court on behalf of the state administration.

The court also took up the state administration to task for the alleged threat to cut off water and electricity to the plant and asked the state government to ensure that the plant continued to get supply of water and electricity without any hindrance.

The state administration said that it would do the needful.

The court then directed the Chhattisgarh administration and other parties to file their affidavits within two weeks and gave one week to the Union government to file its rejoinders.

The matter would now come up for hearing on April 9 when the petitions filed in various high courts would also be taken up for hearing.

Briefing newsmen Dr B L Wadhera who has also filed a public interest litigation in the Balco sale case in the Delhi high court said that today the court took up the application filed by the union government. Since the last order was passed ex-parte, the court heard the other parties on Monday.

But the main hearing in this case would begin only on April 9.

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