Brakes On An ‘Oily’ Design? Rajasthan HC Stays Move To Allot 10,000 Petrol Pumps; Notices Issued To Authorities

High Court of Rajasthan has decided to stay the allotment of 10,000 petrol pumps. It has issued notices to the Central and State governments, three oil companies and has sought their response within a month’s time.

A petition filed by Birbal Ram was heard by the division bench that comprised Chief Justice Pradeep Nadrajog and Justice P S Bhati. The petitioner found discrepancies in the way the petrol pumps had been allotted in large numbers. Apart from the state and the Central government receiving the notice, Bharat Petroleum, Hindustan Petroleum and Indian Oil Corporation got it too.

The oil companies had issued a notification in the press asking for applications for the setting up of 10,000 new petrol pumps in Rajasthan and a deadline of 12 January had been set for a response.

Kuldeep Mathur, who represented the petitioner, said older pumps had to be reviewed before new pumps were allotted. The Indian Express quoted him as saying, “The notification for new petrol pumps was rolled out without any such assessment, which was illegal.”

The petitioner also alleged that the allotment of such huge number of petrol pumps seemed politically motivated, and not based on requirements.