The Delhi high court on Thursday set aside the Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government’s doorstep delivery of ration scheme, stating that the Centre’s grain cannot be used for this scheme.
The Delhi high court on Thursday set aside the Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government’s doorstep delivery of ration scheme — Mukhymantri Ghar Ghar Ration Yojna — stating that the Centre’s grain cannot be used for this scheme. The high court allowed two petitions filed by ration dealers challenging the scheme.
A bench of Acting Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Jasmeet Singh said the Delhi government is free to bring another doorstep delivery scheme but it cannot use grains provided by the Centre for this doorstep scheme. The bench also said that scheme did not have the approval of the lieutenant governor.
The high court had on January 10 reserved its order on the pleas by petitioners Delhi Sarkari Ration Dealers Sangh and Delhi Ration Dealers Union after holding extensive hearings.
The Delhi government had made all preparations to start the scheme from 25th March 2021, but an objection was raised by the Centre.
The Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs had said the foodgrains being allotted by the central government for distribution under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) cannot be used for running a state-specific or any other scheme by any name.
Considering the objection, the Kejriwal government dropped the word ‘Mukhyamantri’ from the name of the scheme and decided to implement it under the existing NFSA Act. However, the file of the scheme sent to L-G failed to get his approval.
The high court had on September 27 allowed the Delhi government to implement the doorstep delivery scheme of rations and deduct the supply being given to fair price shops in proportion to the beneficiaries opting for doorstep delivery. On November 15, the Supreme Court had declined to entertain two separate petitions (one by the Centre and another by FPS owners) against the Delhi high court interim order.
