SC seeks response from govt on cheque bounce PIL

The Supreme Court on Friday sought a response from the Union Finance Ministry on a PIL that has sought quashing of a provision in Negotiable Instruments Act,allegedly because of which scores of people,particularly poor,were jailed in cheque bounce cases despite their willingness to pay.

A Bench led by Justice R M Lodha issued a notice to the Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance,on the PIL filed by Yeshwanth Shenoy,a Mumbai based advocate challenging the Constitutional validity of Section 138 of the Act.

The court has sought response from the department within eight weeks after Attorney General G E Vahanvati submitted that this wing would be in better position to inform about the factual aspect of the case.