Time has come for shops to reach doorsteps: HC

kolkata: Citing that the 'time has come for the shop to reach the doorstep of the consumers', Calcutta High Court on Monday dismissed a plea challenging the Bengal government's Duare Ration scheme.

The court observed that it did not appear that the scheme contravened any of the provisions of law. Aggrieved by the government's newly-lauched Duare Ration scheme, some licensed fair price shop (FPS) owners had moved court.

Justice Amrita Sinha had heard the plea filed by the licensed fair price shop (FPS) owners. The petitioners had contended that as per the provisions of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, the National Food Security Act, 2013, and various Control Orders promulgated under the Acts, essential commodities are to be sold from the FPS to the ration cardholders. They had argued that there was no provision in law for the distribution of ration by the FPS owners at the doorstep of the consumers.

The Court observed that the scheme has taken care of the FPS owners and allotted additional commission to them to compensate the cost of delivering the articles to the doorstep. The government has also decided to provide subsidy for the purchase of delivery van with a view to motivate the dealers, it maintained.

On September 16, ration dealers again moved Calcutta High Court against the single-bench order giving a go-ahead to the Bengal government's Duare Ration project.

They said in their petition that the procedure of delivery in the state scheme went against Central law.

A division bench, comprising Justice Subrata Talukdar and Justice Kesang Doma Bhutia, accepted the appeal petition but had turned down a prayer for urgent hearing on the matter.