Punjab moves Supreme Court for urgent release of Rs 1K-cr dues by Centre
Satya Prakash
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, August 6
The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to consider listing the Punjab Government’s plea seeking an urgent release of over Rs 1,000 crore by the Centre on account of alleged dues of market fee and rural development fee (RDF).
Court agrees for early hearing
A Bench led by CJI DY Chandrachud agreed to list the Punjab Government's interim application for an early hearing after the state's Additional Advocate General Shadan Farasat mentioned it for urgent listing.
A Bench led by CJI DY Chandrachud agreed to list the Punjab Government’s interim application for an early hearing after the state’s Additional Advocate General Shadan Farasat mentioned it for urgent listing.
“We are only requesting that the IA (interim application) be listed next week…if possible. There is an urgent need of funds,” Farasat said.
The CJI agreed to list it for an early hearing.
The state government had last year filed a suit in the Supreme Court against the Centre over the non-reimbursement of statutory fees, allegedly running into thousands of crores of rupees, which the state government had levied on behalf of the Centre during the procurement of foodgrains.
In its original suit filed under Article 131 of the Constitution, the state complained against the Centre for refusing to transfer back the statutory market fee and rural development fee levied by the state on behalf of the Centre.
Article 131 of the Constitution deals with the original jurisdiction of the top court in a dispute between the Centre and one or more states or a dispute between two or more states.
The levies are key to bearing the expenses of acquiring foodgrains with minimum transition losses, the state government maintained.
The total dues on account of RDF are said to be to the tune of Rs 3,637 crore from 2021 and market fee to the tune of Rs 2,400 crore from 2022. The Centre’s actions went against the modified fixation principles in place since February 24, 2020, the state government submitted.
