"You  can have surgical strike against black money but you cannot have surgical strike against people of the country"- Supreme court

The Supreme Court today directed the Central government to take steps to ensure that the common man was not burdened by its decision to discontinue old Rs 500 and 1000 notes.

“Discontinuing of higher denomination notes appears to be carpet bombing and not surgical strike,” the bench comprising Chief Justice T S Thakur and D Y Chandrachud said after hearing a batch of pleas against demonetization.

“You can have surgical strike against black money but you cannot have surgical strike against people of the country.” The bench also said that not everyone who had Rs 500 and 1000 notes “can be painted as a black money hoarder”

It however refused to stay the demonetization move of the Centre, instead asked Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi to file an affidavit about the measures already undertaken by the government and the RBI to minimise public inconvenience and also the steps likely to be undertaken in future. The next hearing is on November 25^th.