Singapore Supreme Court Judge Judith Prakash joined the Constitution bench on Wednesday to deliberate on whether the Centre’s collection of royalties on mineral rights qualifies as a tax, as previously ruled by a seven-judge bench in 1989.
Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, leading the nine-judge bench, announced Justice Prakash’s participation as a guest member, highlighting her presence for the Delhi Arbitration Weekend, where she will deliver the keynote address.
Welcoming Justice Prakash, the CJI mentioned the recent presence of Singapore Supreme Court Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon in a similar capacity.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta extended greetings to Justice Prakash, followed by Senior Advocate Harish Salve, representing the bar in the royalty matter, who expressed his enthusiasm for Justice Prakash’s participation, despite the focus being on Indian constitutional law.
The second edition of the Delhi Arbitration Weekend, hosted by the Delhi International Arbitration Centre, is scheduled from March 6 to 10.
