14.9.2012 (UNI) The Supreme Court today issued notices to the Centre directing the government to explain the procedure adopted by it in allocation of coal blocks.

A bench comprising Justices R M Lodha and Anil R Dave granted eight weeks time to the Union Coal Ministry to file its response to the PIL filed by M L Sharma, an advocate.

Earlier, Mr Sharma appearing in person contended before the Court that as per CAG report the allocation of coal blocks by the government at throwaway prices caused a colossal loss of Rs 1.86 lakh crores to the nation.

One hundred and forty two allocations were made by the UPA government when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was himself holding the charge of coal ministry.

The petitioner has made the PM, Union Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal and Union government as parties in the case besides four others who include the state governments of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha etc.

The apex court during the hearing of the petition wanted to know from the government whether it was a mere coincidence that the beneficiaries of such allocations happen to be mainly the relatives, friends and family members of the politicians.

The apex court has decided to examine all the allocations of coal blocks made by the Centre.

In a separate development, National President of BJP Nitin Gadkari today sent a legal notice to Congress General Secetary Digvijay Singh seeking a public apology from the Congress leader for linking the name of Gadkari to BJP Rajya Sabha MP Ajay Sancheti who has also been allocated coal blocks.

Mr Gadkari has denied any involvement in the allocation of coal blocks to Mr Sancheti.

Mr Digvijay Singh reacting to the move of BJP leader has refused to apologise and has made it clear that he will respond only if he is taken to the Court as he does not reply to any legal notice.

Gadkari has threatened him with defamation suit as well as criminal complaint.

Mr Sharma has also prayed to the court to order an investigation against political parties under Foreign Contributions Regulation Act. UNI