Delhi High Court Sets Aside AAP Govt's Doorstep Ration Delivery Scheme

The court said that the AAP government was not permitted to use grains supplied by the Centre for its ration scheme.

Delhi High Court. 

(Photo: IANS)

The Delhi High Court on Thursday, 19 May, set aside the doorstep ration delivery scheme of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), called "Mukhymantri Ghar Ghar Ration Yojna".

This comes after two petitions were filed by ration dealers to challenge the scheme, LiveLaw reported.

A bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Jasmeet Singh had said that the state government was permitted to introduce a different doorstep delivery scheme, but not to use grains supplied by the central government for this purpose.

The court had reserved its order on the petitions filed by Delhi Sarkari Ration Dealers Sangh and Delhi Ration Dealers Union on 10 January this year.

Hearings on the Delhi Govt's Scheme

The then Lt Governor (LG) of Delhi Anil Baijal, who resigned recently, had stalled the scheme announced by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

The central government, arguing against the scheme, had stated that fair price shop owners formed an essential part of the National Food Security Act, and the scheme announced by the state government goes against the act.

Arguing on behalf of the Delhi government, Abhishek Manu Singhvi had stated that the scheme was introduced in public interest and to uphold the right to food for every citizen.

He also added that the National Food Security Act did not prohibit doorstep ration delivery, and that the LG had used an "obstructive" approach to stall the rollout of the proposed scheme, as per LiveLaw.

An earlier order of the Supreme Court was also invoked in which it had held that the LG was not permitted to interfere in every single decision of the state government, and that the former must be bound by the advice of the council of ministers, unless the matter concerns land, police or public order.

(With inputs from LiveLaw.)