The Delhi High Court on Wednesday allowed a petitioner to withdraw his petition seeking direction to reduce the "irrational and unjustified taxes in the form of excise and VAT" imposed on petrol and diesel across the country, especially Delhi.
A division bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan while allowing the petitioner to withdraw the plea, warned the lawyer of penalty for quoting wrong laws. The petitioner's lawyer had quoted the Finance Act and the Excise Act while opposing high fuel prices.
The court was hearing a petition filed by social activist and practicing lawyer Susheel Mahajan, through his advocates N Pradeep Sharma and Harsh Kumar Sharma.
The plea said that the increase in petrol and diesel rates has a direct impact on the pocket of the common man, who is already struggling to make ends meet due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and added that the same is irrational and unjustified.
"Such steps would also have an impact on the essential commodity and hence the prices of essential commodities would also increase many folds," the plea said.
The petition sought appropriate directions to the respondent to collect taxes on the sale of petrol and diesel at least at par with the neighbouring states. It also sought directions to all dealers to display the break up of the fuel prices on the display board for the general public.
"This being a special circumstance in Delhi, because of its extraordinary hike in VAT at petrol and diesel which has a direct impact on the pocket of the common man in the garb of dealing with COVID-19," the plea said.
"That it is an open fact that the Central Government, as well as the Government of National Capital of Territory of Delhi, burdened the common person by increasing the Taxes on Petrol and Diesel, which has a direct impact on the Essential commodity," it added.
( With inputs from ANI )