HC slams state over price hike of essentials
Discontent with the police for not registering several cases
● THE BENCH expressed its discontent at the police registering only 290 cases of selling essentials and vegetables at high prices in Hyderabad and Secunderabad.
The Telangana High Court on Thursday deplored the negligence of the state government in curtailing traders charging high prices for essential commodities and meat products in the lockdown period. The court observed that the concerned officials had merely issued circulars warning that customers must not be overcharged.
The Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice Raghavendra Singh Chauhan and Justice B Vijaysen Reddy, expressed its dissatisfaction at the efforts made by the Telangana government after going through the report filed by the state in this matter.
The Bench was dealing with a suo moto taken up PIL, based on news articles highlighting the skyrocketing prices of essentials in various markets in the lockdown period.
The Bench expressed its discontent at the police registering only 290 cases of selling essentials and vegetables at high prices in Hyderabad and Secunderabad. The court asked the Advocate General why officials are not invoking circulars issued under the Essential Commodities Act.
The court also asked the government why its report was confined only to the twin cities. “Cases registered are confined to the twin cities as if the entire Telangana State resides in the twin cities” the court said and sought to know the status in the other districts viz, Nalgonda, Mahbubnagar, Warangal etc, as they are also a part of Telangana State.
“Dal is being sold at between `150 to 200, and tamarind, which is the basic ingredient in South Indian dishes, is being sold at an exorbitant rate... how do you think people will survive if such a situation continues, that too during a period when people are confined to their homes due to lockdown?” the Chief Justice asked.
The Bench directed the Telangana government and Police to file a complete report on the concrete steps taken to curtail price rise of essential commodities in Telangana State, by May 27, 2020.