New Delhi
The Delhi High Court Thursday set aside the AAP governments doorstep ration delivery scheme — Mukhymantri Ghar Ghar Ration Yojna.
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 high court allowed two petitions filed by ration dealers challenging the scheme.
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.
Delhi government had defended the scheme on the ground that it was for the poor who were being threatened by fair price shop (FPS) owners to opt-out of the home delivery mode otherwise they would not be given ration.
The AAP government had earlier stated that there was a complete misconception that fair-price shops would cease to exist after the implementation of the scheme. It had said states like Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, and Karnatakas Bengaluru have identical doorstep delivery schemes.
The Centre, represented by Central government standing counsel Monika Arora, had opposed the Delhi governments doorstep ration delivery scheme, saying that the State could mitigate the architecture of the National Food Security Act (NFSA) while implementing it.
