New Delhi: In the latest development in the petition against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati's statues at the cost of public money, the Supreme Court has asked the petitioner in the case to respond to the UP govt's stand that there is no violation of law in the installation of the statues, as it has been approved by the state assembly.
The petitioner told the court that it has to be examined whether the tax payers money can be spent on implementing the will of an individual.
The PIL, filed by Delhi-based advocate Ravi Kant, was listed for hearing before a vacation bench comprising Justices Dalveer Bhandari and A K Ganguly on Monday.
The PIL wanted the apex court to restrain Mayawati from installing her statutes and party symbol in public places at the cost of the state exchequer and demanded a CBI probe into the issue.
The BSP supremo unveiled 15 statues, which include that of party founder Kanshi Ram and herself on June 25, nine days ahead of the scheduled date July 3, after the apex court decided to hear the PIL challenging the Rs 52.20 crore project.
The Supreme Court had earlier issued notices to Mayawati and the UP government for erecting monuments and statues across Uttar Pradesh.