NEW DELHI, Sep. 20, 2022 (TBINN)
Supreme Court today asked the Centre to clarify its stand on whether it wants to go ahead with its curative petition seeking Rs 7,844 crore as additional funds from successor firms of the U.S.-based Union Carbide Corporation for giving compensation to victims of the 1984 Bhopal Gas tragedy.
A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Justice S.K. Kaul asked Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta to take instructions and posted the matter for hearing on October 11, 2022. We have to see there has to be quietus in the matter. The government will have to take a stand whether it is going to press the curative petition or not, the bench, also comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna, A.S. Oka, Vikram Nath and J.K. Maheshwari said.
Advocate Karuna Nundy, appearing for the victims, submitted the court should hear the affected parties irrespective of the government’s decision. Senior advocate Sanjay Parikh, also a counsel for the victims, said the number of people affected has increased five times and hearing should commence.
At this juncture, the apex court wondered if the compensation amount could keep changing over time like that. Can it be said something happened five years, 10 years later? Any system must provide for certainty. There cannot be perpetual uncertainty. There is no ideal situation for anything, the bench said while deferring the matter.
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