Today, On 20th February, The Supreme Court told Maharashtra that while its officers may face pressure, the judiciary remains independent and unaffected. The remark came during a hearing, emphasizing that courts function without external influence. The bench reaffirmed the judiciary’s role in upholding justice impartially. Maharashtra was reminded that judicial integrity cannot be compromised.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court stated on Thursday that while state officials might be under pressure, the judiciary must remain unaffected.
This statement came after the Maharashtra government questioned the accuracy of a judicial officer’s report concerning the allocation of e-rickshaw licenses in Matheran, a hill station located about 83 kilometers from Mumbai.
Maharashtra’s counsel argued that the judicial officer’s report might not be “entirely factually correct.” In response, Justice B R Gavai, alongside Justice Augustine George Masih, remarked,
“Your officers can be under pressure, but not our judiciary.”
The state’s counsel suggested that it would be appropriate for the authorities to restart the license allocation process.
The counsel stated,
“We will do the full process again,”
The bench granted the state government two weeks to propose a plan for revisiting the e-rickshaw allocation process.
The court rejected the claims of one lawyer who argued that the report dated August 13, 2024, was not based on a correct understanding of the evidence presented. The apex court highlighted that the report was prepared by a responsible senior judicial officer and scheduled the matter for March 19.
During a hearing in November, the Supreme Court had questioned Maharashtra authorities about the e-rickshaw license allocations in the hill station.
Previously, on January 10, the court decided that e-rickshaws would only be provided to individuals who previously operated hand-rickshaws, aiming to compensate them for their loss of employment. In April 2024, the court limited the number of e-rickshaws in Matheran to 20 until further orders.
The court allowed the e-rickshaw owners, who were former handcart pullers, to use their vehicles for transporting tourists and the local community.
Later, in July, the Supreme Court directed the principal district judge of Raigad to conduct an inquiry through a judicial officer regarding the dispute over e-rickshaw allocations. Some applicants alleged that these licenses were awarded to hotel owners rather than the original hand-rickshaw pullers.
The Supreme Court previously acknowledged the special status of Matheran, noting that the Ministry of Environment and Forests issued a notification on February 4, 2003, designating the hill station and its surrounding area as an eco-sensitive zone.