SC seeks report from registry on urgent listing of plea challenging RBI decision on Rs 2,000 note exchange

The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought a report from its registry with regard to a plea for urgent hearing of a petition challenging the Delhi High Court's May 29 judgment which allowed the exchange of Rs 2,000 currency notes without any identification slip.

Advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay mentioned the matter before a vacation bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Rajesh Bindal.

Upadhyay contended that the issue is very important as Maoists, terrorists and separatists were exchanging money.

Also read | What will RBI do with your out-of-use Rs 2000 currency notes?

The bench, however, asked Upadhyay when the matter has previously been mentioned before another vacation bench, how he could mention it again.

Upadhyay responded that there are media reports stating notes worth Rs 80,000 crore have been exchanged.

The bench told Upadhyay that it cannot go by media reports and “You mention on Friday, meanwhile, let us see the registry report”.

On June 1, the court had declined an urgent hearing on Upadhyay’s plea challenging the Delhi High Court's May 29 judgment.

A bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and K V Viswanathan had told Upadhyay, appearing in person, the court is not taking up these kinds of cases during vacation and he can make a mention to the Chief Justice of India after summer vacations.

In his plea, Upadhyay said the High Court has failed to appreciate that the RBI Notification dated 19.5.2023 and the SBI Notification dated 20.5.2023, which permits exchange of Rs 2,000 banknotes without even obtaining any requisition slip and identity proof, is manifestly arbitrary and irrational and therefore violates Articles 14 (right to equality) of the Constitution.