HC Terms SKC Report False

In an order that will, in all likelihood, be challenged in the Supreme Court, the Andhra Pradesh High Court on Wednesday ordered the Centre to make public the 8th chapter of the Justice B N Srikrishna Committee Report, also referred to as the 'secret note'.

Calling the report a 'pack of lies', Justice L Narasimha Reddy stated that the people of the state should be aware of what such committees are doing.

The learned Judge also stated that a report prepared by an MP's front office would be more sensible than the SKC Report.

Justice Narasimha Reddy said, "It was unfortunate that a retired Supreme Court judge was associated with a report of this kind." The report over-projects non-existent things, he said.

"The committee had spent Rs. 40 crores of the public's money for this mind-boggling report," the learned judge stated, and added, "Even a political party would hesitate to prepare a report that is not only 'blatant', but also insensitive to people's sentiments."

Justice Narasimha Reddy urged the Centre to make the 8th chapter public.

The Centre had earlier argued through Additional Solicitor General, Vivek Tanka, that the 8th chapter should not be made public. The Centre has defended its decision not to make the 8th chapter public by saying that it is a privileged document under sections 123 and 124 of the Indian Evidence Act 1872.

The 8th chapter of the report deals with the 'administrative and other measures' that the government would have to adopt. These measures have been authored based on reports and assessments made on the ground by the Srikrishna Committee members.

The Additional Solicitor General had further assured the court that the 'secret note' does not contain information relevant to the general public in forming an opinion over the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.

Courtesy: INN