October 24, 2007
PRESS RELEASE

The Supreme Court's First Bench consisting of Chief Justice K.Balakrishnan, Judges Raveedran and Dalbir Bhandari todaydisowned the Committee of Eminent Persons, appointed by the Government of India in the Sethusamudram Canal Project matter, which committee is tosuggest a new counter affidavitto be filed iby the government in the Supreme Court by mid-December. The CJI observed that theapexcourt did not constitute the said committee and therefore is not interested whether it is biased or not. The CJI further observed that when the matter comes up in January 2008, I would beat liberty to raise all objections to the Committee at that stage before the Court if the Government relies onthe committee'sreport.

I had in my Interlocutory Applicationsaid thattheCommittee was biased and rigged, and since it's formationwas announced by the Additional Solicitor General in Court, direction ought tobe given by the Bench to quash the present committee and a new unbiased committee should be set up.
(SUBRAMANIAN SWAMY)