The Madras High Court has dismissed a PIL seeking a direction to the respondents to ensure adequate food security to rural population through subsidies for diesel, petrol and kerosene for farmers engaged in mechanized farming in Tamil Nadu.
The PIL has been filed by one Ayyaa. A representation dated November 2, 2021 was made by the petitioner before filing the PIL, wherein he had prayed for reduction of the price of diesel, petrol and kerosene for the use of machinery and vehicles used in the agriculture and agro-based industries. Since the representation of the petitioner was not considered, the petitioner has filed the petition.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice D. Bharatha Chakravarthy, while considering the PIL on February 14, observed that the prayer made in the petition does not come under the judicial scrutiny, as the prayer comes within the policy decision of the Government and for that a direction in the nature as sought by the petitioner cannot be granted. It is up to the Government to frame a policy for grant of subsidies on diesel, petrol and kerosene.
“In view of the above and finding that this court has no jurisdiction to issue direction on the respondents to take a policy decision to ensure adequate food security to rural population through subsidies on diesel, petrol and kerosene engaged in mechanized farming in the State of Tamil Nadu, the writ petition is dismissed,” the order reads.