High Court moved against dual diesel pricing

MADURAI: A PIL seeking quashing of recent Union government order allowing dual pricing of diesel for bulk buyers and retailers has been filed in the Madras High Court by a state transport corporation employees union affiliated to the INTUC, the trade union wing of Congress.

Justice K N Basha and Justice P Devadoss of Madurai Bench, before whom the petition came up, ordered notice to the oil companies and Petroleum Ministry Secretary, returnable within four weeks.

The PIL, filed by B Jeevan Murthy of the tamilnadu State Transport Corporation National Employees Union (INTUC), termed as a shocking and discrimininatory decision the raising of the diesel price by Rs 11.64 for TNSTC and Rs.0.45 per litre for the private bunks.

It said since the TNSTC was running a public transport system and on a non-profit basis decisions regarding Public transport should be taken in the interest of social welfare. Such duel pricing should not affect the public transport corporation.

Besides, the TNSTC, which was already reeling under loss, could not manage the steep rivision. The persons who availed benefits from the private bunks were equal to persons who availed benefits from the public transport system and they should not be discriminated againt.

Hence the Government order allowing the oil companies to increase the price as they liked for bulk buyers should be quashed and all should get diesel at the same price.