Congress Welcomes SC Move to Examine Money Bill Controversy

The Congress has lauded the Supreme Court's decision to consider forming a constitution bench to review petitions challenging laws like the Aadhaar Act passed as money bills. The party hopes for a final verdict before Chief Justice Chandrachud's retirement in November this year.

The Congress on Monday expressed approval of the Supreme Court's agreement to consider setting up a constitution bench to hear petitions challenging the legitimacy of several laws, including the Aadhaar Act, passed as money bills. The party is optimistic that a final ruling will come before Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud retires in November this year.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Chandrachud and justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra was requested by senior advocate and Supreme Court Bar Association head Kapil Sibal to list the petitions for hearing, as the pleadings were complete. "I will take the call when I form the constitution benches," the CJI responded.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh highlighted on social media platform X that many bills have been hastily passed as money bills over the past decade, citing the Aadhaar Act as a prime example. Ramesh reiterated his earlier challenge to this categorization in the Supreme Court, where the current CJI had described it as a 'fraud on the Constitution' in a dissenting judgment.

Ramesh lauded the CJI's decision to establish a separate Constitutional Bench to address the alleged misuse of Article 110 since 2014. He expressed hope for a definitive ruling before the CJI's November 2024 retirement.

Previously, the Supreme Court announced it would form a seven-judge bench to examine the validity of passing laws like the Aadhaar Act as money bills. This move seeks to address the controversy surrounding money bills, noting that the government had categorized bills, including amendments to the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, as money bills to bypass the Rajya Sabha, where it lacked a majority.

A money bill is legislation that can only be introduced in the Lok Sabha. The Rajya Sabha cannot amend or reject it; it can only make recommendations, which the Lok Sabha may or may not accept.