The Madras high court on Thursday refused to interfere with the recent increase of petrol prices, and also observed that the last week’s crippling petrol and diesel shortage in Tamil Nadu had been overcome due to state government’s efforts.
A vacation bench of the court comprising Justice K Venkataraman and Justice C S Karnan passed the order on Thursday, while dismissing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by advocate R Balasubramanian belonging to the legal wing of the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) party.
In his PIL, Balasubramanian submitted that the steep hike in petrol prices was not entirely due to international trends nor due to independent pricing policy of oil marketing companies as was being made out by the centre. The price hike and the ‘artificial shortage’ of petrol and diesel in Tamil Nadu for six days were mainly due to the mismanagement and maladministration of petroleum products by the centre, he said.
Noting that the common man would be burdened further with increase in prices of essential commodities and vegetables, he wanted the court to direct the centre to rollback the prices and ensure adequate and regular supply of petrol and diesel for Tamil Nadu.