Supreme Court Dismisses PIL Questioning PM Cares Fund For COVID-19 Relief

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition which challenged the legality of the PM cares fund for COVID-19 relief, under the Constitution. The Bench led by Chief Justice of India, SA Bobde told the petitioner Advocate ML Sharma that his petition was a completely misconceived one. The Bench also observed that it would impose costs on the petitioner.

ML Sharma in his plea had contended that the power to create a contingency fund vested only with the Parliament under article 266 and 267. The petitioner contended that PM cares fund, therefore, cannot come into existence.

The petitioner had argued for a transfer of the donations received by the PM cares fund so far to the consolidated fund of India and sought a court-monitored Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the establishment of the fund itself. The petition also claimed that there was no ordinance or gazette notification by the Government of India on the subject.