(a) whetherthe Supreme Court has given any ruling on a petition challenging the
disinvestment of the public sector undertakings HPCL and BPCL etc. by the Government without
obtaining prior permission of the Parliament for their privatisation;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government have submitted their reply to the Supreme Court; and
(D) if so, the details thereof?
THE MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND MINISTER OF DISINVESTMENT
(SHRIARUN SHOURIE):
(a) and (b) On a Writ Petition filed on 13.3.2003 by M/s. Centre for Public Interest
Litigation, the Hon`ble Supreme Court of India has issued notice to Government of India
to show cause as to why Rule Nisi in terms of the prayer of the Writ Petition should not
be issued and application for stay as prayed for should not be allowed. The prayer of the
petitioner in the Writ Petition is that the Government be restrained from proceeding with
the disinvestment in HPCL and BPCL in a manner so that they cease to be Government companies,
without the approval of the Parliament and without amending or repeaiing the Esso (Acquisition
of Undertaking in India) Act, 1974, The Burma Shell {Acquisition of Undertaking in India)
Act, 1976 and the Caltex (Acquisition of Shares of Caltex Oil Refining India Limited and
all the Undertakings in India for Caltex India Limited) Act, 1977.
(c) and (d) Government will respond to the notice by the Hon`ble Supreme Court of India
within the stipulated period.