The Bombay high court will be hearing a public interest litigation against the recent petrol pay hike on Wednesday. The PIL, filed by Thane resident Rajendra Phanse, has challenged the recent pay hike on the grounds that it is unconstitutional. The HC has issued notices to the Centre, petroleum and natural gas ministry, finance secretary and three oil companies.
“Article 14 of the Indian Constitution speaks about equality before law. If that has to be observed, how is it that a particular commodity has different rates in different parts of the country?” asked advocate V.P. Patil, representing the petitioner.
The PIL has also raised objections to the price hike on the grounds that it was declared after the Parliamentary Session was over. “Any price hike must be decided in Parliament after due discussion. Aren’t there regulatory committees to decide prices of essential commodities?” Mr Patil said, adding that by general practice, price hikes take place from April 1st.
The PIL, which was mentioned by the petitioner on Monday, will now be heard on Wednesday by a division bench of Justices R.Y. Ganoo and N.M. Jamdar.
The petitioner has demanded a uniform price of petrol throughout the country, and has cited prices at various places ranging from `58 in Andaman Nicobar-Port Blair to `81 in Bengaluru. The petitioner has alleged that the Central government has been shifting its responsibility to states.
“We are a federation of states, but all states are under one roof with the Union as the sovereign. The situation is not the same as in United States of America, where every state is an independent identity. So it’s wrong to say that states can regulate the prices,” Mr Patil said.
The petitioner, who has made the petroleum ministry its first respondent in the PIL, has also named petroleum companies like BPCL, IPCL and IOC respondents. “All we want is that these companies, which say different things at different times as it suits them, should come before one forum and clarify their stand. This will help bring parity in oil and fuel prices,” Mr Patil said.