The Central Government on Thursday opposed before the Delhi High Court a plea filed by former IPS officer Kiran Bedi seeking her impleadment in a matter concerning recent Satya Niketan PG collapse.

ASG Chetan Sharma appearing for the Union Government, Delhi Government and Municipal Corporation of Delhi said that though he has immense respect for Bedi, he has instructions to oppose the impleadment application as she was prejudging the issue.

At the outset, a division bench headed by Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya said that Bedi is a conscious citizen of the country whose administrative experience of years can be very helpful for the Court.

However, Sharma prayed that Central Government be given a chance to file a response to the impleadment application. He also said that the Court must first await the status reports directed to be filed by the authorities.

“I have instructions to oppose. Learned SG has made a statement and assurance. Institutionally they (authorities) will respond. Before that response comes, status reports directed has to come,” he said.

On this the Court said that the impleadment application is not to file any responses but to assist the Bench. We can always utilise her long experience, the Court added.

As ASG Sharma said that Bedi is prejudging the issue, the Court remarked that there is no pre-judgment, and asked Sharma to not take the matter adversarially.

The Court asked the ASG to file a reply to the impleadment application within three days.

The matter will now be heard on September 25 along with a batch of pleas concerning the incident.

For context, the Court recently asked the authorities to double their efforts to save the lives of students affected by the collapse.

It has directed the MCD to take up the issue at its highest executive level and get an enquiry conducted as to whether the buildings which collapsed were constructed under valid permission or not.

The High Court has also said that if it is found that the construction was not done under valid permission, MCD shall fix responsibility of the erring official or employees for the lapse.

The building, which housed a boys' paying guest accommodation near Delhi University's South Campus, collapsed around 1.30 pm while repair work was underway at its basement. Locals alleged the basement was waterlogged that could have weakened the structure.

The Delhi Police has registered a case against the three at the South Campus Police Station. They have been booked on charges including culpable homicide, negligence in the upkeep of a structure and endangering the safety of others.