A Right to Information reply from the Supreme Court reveals that a petition filed by CPM leader Pinarayi Vijayan against the gubernatorial go-ahead to prosecute him in the SNC Lavalin case was scheduled for ?urgent?hearing by the Registrar after ?obtaining orders/directions from the Chief Justice of India?.
Vijayan, Kerala CPM secretary and politburo member, had challenged Kerala governor RS Gavai?s sanction to the CBI in June 2009 to prosecute him. He is accused of wrongfully awarding a contract to Canadian company SNC Lavalin for renovation of two power plants when he was the state power minister in 1997.
The RTI response, dated February 20, 2010, by Supreme Court Public Information Officer (PIO) Raj Pal Arora is on an application by Delhi-based advocate Zulfiker Ali. Arora is silent on whether Vijayan had even applied to the Supreme Court for an early hearing at all.
Though the Supreme Court had only admitted Vijayan?s petition on August 31, 2009 and issued show cause (rule nisi) notice, the case was included in the list of cases scheduled for final hearing, starting from January 19, 2010. Corruption cases are placed fourth in the list of regular cases accorded priority by the Supreme Court.
?A case, Pinarayi Vijayan vs State of Kerala and Others (WP (Crl) No 75 of 2009), which was admitted on 31.8.2009 is seen listed for final hearing as item number 118 in Court number 4 (Justice RV Raveendran and Justice Aftab Alam),? Ali says in his application.
The advocate goes on to ask ?whether there is any order or direction from the court to list this matter for hearing on urgent basis.?