Plots to HC judges, lawmakers: SC refuses to hear PIL

However, Bhushan said there was reasonable apprehension of bias when the matter will be heard by the judges of the same high courts.

“Refusal to hear the matter would send a wrong message and only this court (apex court) or the judges who do not know those judges should hear it,” he said and added that such matters have never been decisively heard by any high court.  

The PIL had raised the issue of allotment of plots by Bhubaneswar Development Authority and Cuttack Development Authority to government officials, MPs, MLAs, judges and others through chief minister's discretionary quota since 1991.

The CPIL also said plots of land were alloted to some judges of the Gujarat High Court pursuant to a policy decision of November 6, 2008 which was in violation of Article 14 of the Constitution.

The allotments were the arbitrary and discriminatory distribution of state largesse at concessional rates by state governments of Odisha and Gujarat.