- (1.) Mr Ranjit Kumar, learned counsel appearing for the appellants, commenced his arguments at 3.00 p.m. and was on his legs when the Court rose for the day.
(2.) The matters remained part-heard.
(3.) After hearing learned counsel for the parties, the Court made the following order: The reference to the Constitution Bench was made by an order dated 19-9-20001 by a Bench of three learned Judges. What was said was: (SCC p. 608, paras 4-5) "4. The question is whether the earlier judgments of this Court, principally, in Common Cause, A Registered Society v. Union of India, 1996 4 SCC 33 Common Cause, A Registered Society v. Union of India, 1996 6 SCC 775 Raj Deo Sharma v. State of Bihar, 1998 7 SCC 507 and Raj Deo Sharma (II) v. State of Bihar, 1999 7 SCC 604 would apply to prosecutions under the Prevention of Corruption Act and other economic offences. 5. Having perused the judgments aforementioned, we are of the view that these appeals should be heard by a Constitution Bench. We take this view because we think that it may be necessary to synthesise the various guidelines and directions issued in these judgments. We are also of the view that a Constitution Bench should consider whether time-limits of the nature mentioned in some of these judgments can, under the law, be laid down.";