The Bombay High Court on Tuesday asked the Maharashtra government if it had taken any steps against e-commerce traders who supply non-essential commodities and are violating lockdown restrictions.
A Division Bench of Justices Ramesh Dhanuka and Madhav Jamdar asked if the State had come up with any relief for retailers whose businesses are suffering due to the lockdown, like it has provided to hawkers, whose businesses have also been hit due to the pandemic.
The Bench was hearing a petition filed by Federation of Retail Traders Welfare Association (FRTWA), highlighting the losses incurred by retailers due to the restrictions imposed during the lockdown.
Advocate Dipesh Siroya, representing FRTWA, told the court that despite the restrictions allowing only essential services, e-commerce traders were supplying non-essential commodities and violating the government’s standard operating procedure.
He also said that the Maharashtra government has come up with package for hawkers during the pandemic and sought a direction from the Bench to the State to formulate a similar package for retailers whose businesses have shut down due to the pandemic.
Additional government pleader Jyoti Chavan said the State would like to file an affidavit in the petition. The Bench then asked the State what the retailers had contended about non-essential commodities being supplied through e-commerce.
The FRTWA’s petition seeks to waive of licence fees, property tax and other fees, and would be considered by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said senior counsel Anil Sakhare, appearing for the civic body.
“The State is directed to file an affidavit in response to this petition and it must also indicate efforts taken for formulating a package for retailers, whose businesses are hit by the pandemic and lockdown restrictions,” Justice Dhanuka said.
“The State to also indicate steps being taken to act against those supplying non-essential services and also the action taken report,” added the Bench.