The Supreme Court has dismissed a petition filed by TMC MP Mahua Moitra challenging a circular issued by the Central government excluding Chief Minister’s Relief Fund from the purview of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
A bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan dismissed the plea observing that she had withdrawn a similar petition in May this year.
“You shouldn’t have filed it again after you withdrew a similar petition in May. In view of the fact that the matter was dismissed on May 5, we are not inclined to hear this plea. Dismissed,” the bench said.
The plea stated that there were disparities between PM CARES Fund and CM Relief Funds, with the corporate donations to only the former being allowed as CSR spends.
CSR is defined as a corporation’s sense of responsibility towards the community and environment by which a company entities visibly contribute to the social good.
The Supreme Court had on May 5 refused to entertain Moitra’s petition against the circular issued by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs in April which directed that any donations made to the Chief Ministers’ Relief Fund will not qualify under the CSR expenditure of a company.
However, the circular said that donations made to the PM CARES Fund will qualify under CSR.
