Hailing the Supreme Court judgement on auction of natural resources, Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal on Thursday said the court has brought “Constitutional clarity” on the issue.
Stating that the Court has upheld the government’s stand, Mr. Sibal said it has opined that auction was not the only way for allocating natural resources.
Institutions like CAG “might have perhaps unwittingly, erroneously interpreted the Supreme Court judgement relating to the 2G case and thought that all natural resources must be auctioned,” he said. “The Supreme Court has provided Constitutional clarity today and we welcome it.”
Welcoming the Supreme Court decision, Commerce Minister Anand Sharma said the judgement “vindicates” the position that the government had taken.
“When a state has to take decisions, public good has to be kept in mind... The Supreme Court has also upheld, that it is public good which is important, and revenue maximisation is subservient to that, not the other way round,” he said. “And all national resources (are) not meant to be auctioned.”
Mr. Sharma said there has been lot of confusion, some deliberately created, and also fed by some elements of political forces who are opposed to the government.
“...There was never any doubt in my mind, or in the mind of my colleagues of the government, (that) there was no Constitutional mandate for auction,” he added.
You have reached your limit for free articles this month.
Subscription Benefits Include
Today's Paper
Find mobile-friendly version of articles from the day's newspaper in one easy-to-read list.
Unlimited Access
Enjoy reading as many articles as you wish without any limitations.
Personalised recommendations
A select list of articles that match your interests and tastes.
Faster pages
Move smoothly between articles as our pages load instantly.
Dashboard
A one-stop-shop for seeing the latest updates, and managing your preferences.
Briefing
We brief you on the latest and most important developments, three times a day.
Support Quality Journalism.
*Our Digital Subscription plans do not currently include the e-paper, crossword and print.
A letter from the Editor
Dear subscriber,
Thank you!
Your support for our journalism is invaluable. It’s a support for truth and fairness in journalism. It has helped us keep apace with events and happenings.
The Hindu has always stood for journalism that is in the public interest. At this difficult time, it becomes even more important that we have access to information that has a bearing on our health and well-being, our lives, and livelihoods. As a subscriber, you are not only a beneficiary of our work but also its enabler.
We also reiterate here the promise that our team of reporters, copy editors, fact-checkers, designers, and photographers will deliver quality journalism that stays away from vested interest and political propaganda.
Suresh Nambath
Please Email the Editor