The Delhi High Court on Friday asked the petitioner, who has sought directions to the government to immediately take all remedial steps to lower the fuel prices across the country and especially in Delhi, to file the petition with proper documents, averments and annexures.
The petitioner, thereafter, sought to withdraw his petition. The request was allowed by a division bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Prateek Jalan with the liberty to file it afresh. The bench also asked him to approach the appropriate forum with his grievances.
The court was hearing a petition filed by Susheel Mahajan, a social activist and a practicing lawyer in national capital through his advocates N Pradeep Sharma and Harsh Kumar Sharma.
"The increase in petrol/ diesel rates has a direct impact on the pocket of the common man. The common man is struggling to meet his two ends meet during the COVID-19 pandemic. The increase in excise duty and VAT 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 petitioner has sought directions to reduce the irrational and unjustified taxes in the form of excise and VAT taxes effectively and to form a high powered committee to look into the matter of rationalization of the prices of petrol and diesel in the entire country especially Delhi.
The petition sought appropriate directions to the respondent to collect taxes, on the sale of petrol/ 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 )