Date:20/07/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/07/20/stories/2004072002251300.htm

National

Centre to bring amendments to Competition Act

By Our Legal Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JULY 19. The Centre today informed the Supreme Court that it would bring comprehensive amendments to the Competition Commission Act on the lines suggested by the apex court during earlier hearings.

A three-member Bench, comprising the Chief Justice, R.C. Lahoti, Justice A.R. Lakshmanan and Justice G.P. Mathur, recorded the statement made by the Attorney-General, Milon K. Banerjee, and adjourned the hearing by six weeks.

Mr. Banerjee submitted that the Government would bring amendments to the Act taking into consideration the observations made by the Supreme Court.

The Bench recorded his statement and lauded the Government's stand and observed that this would take care of the grievances of the petitioner.

The Act had been challenged by advocate Brahm Dutt on the ground that it provided for the appointment of a bureaucrat as Chairman as against a judicial officer as originally envisaged. Further the Act provided that orders passed by the Commission were to be implemented by the High Courts. After the apex court intervened, the Act was kept in abeyance.