SC: Court can record parliamentary committee reports

New Delhi, May 9: The Supreme Court on Wednesday said courts can look into parliamentary committee reports and take them on record while deciding a case but added the report cannot be challenged.

A five-judge constitution bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.K. Sikri, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar, Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Justice Ashok Bhushan in three separate but concurring judgements held that this would not amount to any breach of Parliament's privilege.

Chief Justice Misra, along with Justice Khanwilkar, said: "In a litigation filed either under Article 32 or Article 136 of the Constitution, this court can take on record the report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee."

However, the report "cannot be impinged or challenged in a court of law", they said.

Chief Justice Misra said: "Judicial notice can be taken of the Parliamentary Standing Committee report under Section 57(4) of the Evidence Act and it is admissible under Section 74 of the said Act."