New Delhi, July 25: Supreme Court today issued notices to the Union government and public sector Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd and Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd on a PIL challenging the Centre's decision to privatise the two oil refiners. A bench comprising Chief Justice V N Khare and Justice S B Sinha issued the notices on a petition filed by the Oil Sector Officers' Association, challenging the January this year's decision of the government to disinvest its stake in the two oil PSUs. The bench also issued notices to respondents on an interim prayer of the petitioner seeking stay of the disinvestment.
Arguing for the petitioner, senior advocate F S Nariman said the government could not have disinvested its share in the oil PSUs through an executive order as it had to enact a parliamentary legislation to this effect. Bureau Report