The Supreme Court has rescheduled the hearing on the potential reconsideration of its 2022 verdict concerning the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) powers under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to October 16. The decision to defer the hearing followed an earlier adjournment that had set the date for October 3.
This series of postponements began earlier in the day when Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the ED, requested the delay, which Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the petitioners, vehemently opposed. The initial deferment was approved by a three-judge bench led by Justice Surya Kant.
Further developments occurred when Justice Kant, addressing the attorneys involved, explained that Justice C T Ravikumar, a key member of the bench—which also includes Justice Ujjal Bhuyan—would be on leave until October 13, necessitating the postponement to October 16.
The case in question involves a batch of pleas that challenge the 2022 Supreme Court decision, which affirmed the ED’s authority to arrest individuals, attach property, and conduct searches and seizures under the PMLA. These powers have been contentious, sparking debate over their implications for civil liberties and the scope of law enforcement’s reach.
