SC to hear pleas on demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes on Tuesday

The Centre has also filed a caveat in the registry saying it should be heard if the bench agrees to hear and pass orders on any such plea

Amidst unprecedented panic rush in banks and ATMs across the country, the Supreme Court would, on Tuesday, hear a batch of PILs seeking quashing of the government's decision to demonetise Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 currency notes on the ground that it infringed citizens' right to life and trade among others.

A bench comprising Chief Justice T S Thakur and Justice D Y Chandrachud has listed for hearing as many as four pleas against the November 8 decision of the Narendra Modi government that these notes are no longer a legal tender.

Out of the four, two PILs have been filed by Delhi-based lawyers Vivek Narayan Sharma and Sangam Lal Pandey, respectively. Two other pleas have been filed by individuals, S Muthukumar and Adil Alvi, on the demonetisation issue.

The apex court, on November 10, had agreed to hear the pleas on Tuesday.

The petitioners have alleged that the sudden decision has created chaos and harassment to the public at large and the notification of the department of economic affairs, ministry of finance be either quashed or deferred for some time.

The Centre has also filed a caveat in the registry saying it should be heard if the bench agrees to hear and pass orders on any such plea.

Sharma, in his plea, has termed the notification of DEA as "dictatorial", claiming that it did not grant reasonable time to citizens for exchanging the specified bank notes to legitimate notes to avoid "large scale mayhem, life threatening difficulties".

The plea has sought either quashing of the notification or a direction to the Centre for grant of "reasonable time frame" to citizens to exchange the demonetised currency notes to avoid difficulties being faced by the people.

The prime minister, in a televised address to the nation, had declared that high denomination notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 will no longer be legal tender from November 8-9 midnight. He had said the government has declared a "decisive war" against black money and corruption.

Photograph: Sahil Salvi.