Supreme Court Denies Urgent Listing Of Plea Against Exchange Of Rs 2,000 Notes Sans ID Proof

The Supreme Court on Friday rejected an urgent listing of a plea challenging the exchange of Rs 2000 bank notes without identity proof before the vacation bench and directed Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, the petitioner, to mention the case before the Chief Justice after the vacations.

This was the third time the case was mentioned before the vacation bench, and the top court had earlier issued a similar direction to the petitioner.

During the mention, Upadhyay stated that the matter required an urgent listing because a huge amount of black money will be exchanged by the time it gets mentioned before the CJI. The case would hold no meaning as the entire black money held by gangsters, mafias etc. would be exchanged by then, he said.

However, the bench was not inclined to appreciate the urgency and stated that an earlier direction of the court cannot be buried by them and reiterated that the matter be mentioned before the Chief Justice after the vacations.

It is contended by Upadhyay in his petition before the apex court that the exchange of Rs 2000 banknotes without even obtaining any requisition slip or identity proof is manifestly arbitrary and irrational and therefore violates Article 14 of the Constitution.

On May 29, the Delhi High Court dismissed Upadhyay's plea, which sought a direction to the extent that the exchange of Rs 2000 notes should not be allowed without an identity proof.