Rajasthan Congress President Sachin Pilot along with a few other had filed a petition against the Rajasthan government in regards to the ordinance passed by the Raje government which bars the court to take any action against magistrates, public servants, ministers and officials without prior sanction from the government.
The ordinance also restricted the media from naming public servants involved in corruption cases without the permission of the government.
The ordinance was criticised by the opposition and many other including the ruling party’s MLA, Ghanshyam Tiwari, Narpat Singh Rajvi and the editors guild. Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi had also lashed out at the Raje government remind the Cheif Minister that it is 2017 and not 1817.
After the hearing of the petition filed by Sachin and seven other, the Rajasthan High Court on Friday issued notices to the Centre and the Rajasthan government. A division bench headed by Justice Ajay Rastogi heard the petition and the next date for the hearing is 27 Nov.
According to the sources State Congress Committee President Sachin Pilot, AAP leader Poonam Chand Bhandari and the People’s Union for Civil Liberties are among those who have challenged the ordinance in the High Court.
Following widespread criticism and a walkout from the House by the Congress, Vasundhara Raje on Tuesday had referred the ordinance to the select committee for further reconsideration.
The petition filed by Pilot read that that the Criminal Laws (Rajasthan Amendment) Ordinance, 2017, promulgated on September 6, violates Article 14 (right to equality) and Article 19 (1) (a) (freedom of speech and expression) of the Constitution by curtailing the powers of courts to order investigation on complaints made against public servants.