The Centre on Thursday sought the Supreme Court to stay multiple proceedings instituted in various High Courts and lower courts against government's demonetisation of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 notes.
Attorney-General Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the Centre, said when the Supreme Court is already seized of the matter, other courts should not preside over separate litigation on identical issue.
The Supreme Court had earlier this week refused to stay the November 8 government notification demonetising Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 notes.
It however asked the Centre to take immediate measures to alleviate the hardships and sufferings of the traumatised common man who is “forced” to stand in queues to withdraw a little bit of his own hard-earned money.
“Tell us, instead of forcing citizens to stand in queues for his own money... and it is traumatic for people to stand in lines for hours doing nothing, why can't you raise their cash withdrawal limit to a reasonable one?” Chief Justice T.S. Thakur, who presided over a Bench that comprised Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, had questioned the Centre.
Noting that the apex court does not want to interfere with the government's economic policy, Chief Justice Thakur had said the objective of demonetisation may be a "surgical strike" on black money, but it should not cause hardship to the common man.
