Apex court receives presidential reference

New Delhi - A presidential reference on whether the Supreme Court could interfere with a policy decision of the government and could insist on auction as the only route for the allocation of natural resources was received by the apex court Thursday.

Among the questions raised in the reference is whether the court can set aside a policy decision of the government without appreciating the investments made by foreign entities under multilateral or bilateral agreements.

The presidential reference comes in the wake of the Supreme Court cancelling 122 telecom licences and holding that an auction was the only route for allocating natural resources.

Of the 12 questions raised in the Residential Reference seeking its opinion, it has asked whether auctioning was the only permissible method for the disposable of all natural resources across all sectors and in all circumstances.

The reference also asks whether following the auction route was not contrary to several judgements of the Supreme Court, including those of larger benches.