The Supreme Court registry has issued summons to the Centre on a suit filed by the Congress-led Chhattisgarh dispensation seeking to declare the UPA-1 era National Investigation Agency (NIA) Act as unconstitutional and arbitrary on the ground that it affects the state's sovereignty and confers unbridled power on the central government.
The registry has issued summons to the Centre through Attorney General K K Venugopal on the suit filed by the Chhattisgarh government under Article 131 of the Constitution.
The Article 131 of the Constitution empowers a state to move the Supreme Court directly in matters of dispute with the Centre or any other state. Chhattisgarh is the first state to challenge the Act.
"Whereas the above-named Plaintiff (Chhattisgarh) has on January 11, 2020 instituted a suit in this court against you praying for a decree in terms of the prayers made in the plaint, you are hereby required to cause an appearance to be entered for you in the registry of the court within twenty eight days from the service upon you of this summons, exclusive of the day of such service," the summons issued under Order XXVII, rule-I said.
It further said, "...you are summoned to appear before this court by an advocate-on-record of the court to answer the plaintiff's claim on the day the case is set down for hearing upon which date you must be prepared to produce all your witnesses and all documents in your possession or power upon which you intend to rely in support of your case."
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