Delhi High Court agrees to examine plea on India-Pakistan LoC trade policy

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has agreed to examine a plea seeking immediate steps to check violation of Line of Control ( LoC) trade policy between India and Pakistan.

A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath asked the Centre to respond within four weeks on the plea which sought direction to ensure that items like almonds are not illegally imported in contravention to LoC policy.

"Respond to the averments raised in petition within four weeks," the court said and listed the matter for April 4.

The court order came on a plea by Association of Agro Importers and Indo Foreign Chamber of Commerce, which came in appeal against the single judge's October 2015 decision, by which their petition seeking directions to the authorities concerned to take requisite measures to implement policy of LoC trade was dismissed.

It also urged to ensure that the items under the policy are not imported in contravention to LoC trade policy, besides direction to exclude import of almonds from the policy.

"The said directions were sought in view of the rampant and undeterred misuse of LoC trade policy between India and Pakistan..." the plea claimed.

It said the single judge had dismissed the association's petition while "ignoring the procedure and guidelines", which are of great concern for honest almond traders.

The plea sought setting aside of the LoC trade policy to the extent that the same applies to almonds.

It also sought order for complete ban on imports into India of almonds under the cross LoC trade policy.