SC silent on objectives of demonetisation: Congress

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Monday said that the majority verdict of the Supreme Court on demonetisation has not addressed the question of whether the objectives of the demonetisation exercise were achieved at all.

Responding sharply to the Apex court’s verdict on Monday, former Finance Minister P Chidambaram said that the ‘minority’ judgement pointed out the ‘illegality’ and the ‘irregularities’ in the demonetisation, Chidambaram said on Monday soon after the apex court made its verdict.

The Supreme Court on Monday upheld the Centre’s 2016 decision to demonetise the currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 by a 4:1 majority. “It is necessary to point out that the majority has not upheld the wisdom of the decision; nor has the majority concluded that the stated objectives were achieved. In fact, the majority has steered clear of the question whether the objectives were achieved at all,” said Chidambaram, who represented petitioners challenging demonetisation in the SC.