Review Petition Admission Hearing: 26 February 2019

Today, the Court decided in chambers (not open to public) to admit the recent review petitions, challenging its 14th December 2018 judgement.

In its judgment, the Supreme Court had ruled against ordering a court monitored investigation of the Rafale deal. The Court held that the Government was able to justify the alleged irregularities with the deal: (i) the decision making process (ii) price variation and (iii) the Indian Offset Partner (IOP).

The review petitions have challenged the judgement on various grounds. Notably, the review petitioners contend that the judgment commits "errors apparent", such as the following:

1. The judgment does not deal with the petitioner's prayer for the registration of an FIR and an investigation by the CBI. Instead it assess the contract prematurely without the benefit of any investigation or inquiry into disputed questions of facts
2. The judgment falsely states that the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) had audited the contract and finalized a report.
3. The judgment confuses Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries with Anil Ambani's Reliance Infrastructure