By IANS,
New Delhi : The Congress Friday welcomed the Supreme Court notice asking the government to explain whether it had followed its own policies and guidelines in the allocation of 194 coal blocks.
“We welcome the order. We are confident the government will be able to convince the apex court and the people of the country,” Congress spokesperson P.C. Chacko told reporters here.
He said the government wanted to explain its stand in parliament also but could not as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) disrupted both houses.
“Two-thirds of parliament wanted a debate but the BJP did not allow it to take place… they should introspect,” he said.
Chacko said the BJP complaining to President Pranab Mukherjee that the Congress was criticising the Comptroller and Auditor General’s report on coal blocks underlined the opposition party’s guilt.
Issuing the notice, the apex court bench of Justice R.M. Lodha and Justice Anil R. Dave also asked the government to explain why it did not follow the competitive bidding process laid down in a 2004 policy.
The notice has to be answered by the coal secretary in eight weeks.