Tribune News Service
New Delhi, November 9

In a fresh face-off, the Centre has moved the Supreme Court challenging a Delhi High Court’s order giving the green signal to the Delhi government’s ‘Doorstep Ration Delivery Scheme’.

In its September 27 order, the Delhi High Court had permitted the city government to cut down supplies to fair price shops for those opting for doorstep delivery, noting that “an overwhelming majority” has opted for doorstep delivery.

On Tuesday, a Bench led by Justice LN Rao deferred hearing on the Centre’s petition after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta sought an adjournment for a day. It posted the matter for hearing on November 12 after senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the Delhi government, also urged it to defer the hearing as he had some personal difficulty.

The Delhi government’s doorstep delivery of ration scheme had attracted criticism from the Union Food and Consumer Affairs Ministry which had taken exception to the use of the term “Mukhyamantri” for a scheme involving distribution of food grains allocated under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).

The Centre maintained that any change in the delivery mechanism was possible only through an amendment in the Act passed by Parliament.

Following the Centre’s strong objection, the Delhi government had dropped the term “Mukhyamantri” and launched the scheme on March 25. But the Centre maintained that the Delhi Government’s ‘Doorstep Ration Delivery Scheme’ in its present form can’t be implemented without amending the NFSA.