HC to hear plea seeking formula of petrol pricing on Wednesday
New Delhi, Sep 18 : The Delhi High Court will hear on Wednesday an application seeking direction to the Central government to disclose the formula on the basis of which daily prices of petroleum and diesel are fixed.
The plea will be heard by a bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V. Kameswar Rao.
The application, filed by Delhi-based designer Pooja Mahajan through her advocate A. Maitri, has sought direction to call the records from the government including oil companies to disclose the formula and to furnish the details on the basis of which the daily fuel prices are fixed.
The petitioner said that people were suffering irreparably because prices were being enhanced on presumption.
The advocate said that the oil manufacturing companies were selling their old stock of petrol and diesel at enhanced prices while admittedly the said stock was purchased at a cheaper rate.
As per official claims, petrol and diesel prices are fixed on account of increase in international prices. Admittedly, international price of crude oil is fixed on barrel basis, the plea said.
"Barrel is a unit of mass meaning thereby that crude oil is being sold in international market on mass/weight of the crude oil but here in India and diesel are being sold on liter basis, without taking care of density/mass of petrol/diesel," the plea said.
"On account of above stated methodology being followed all over India, public at large is suffering every day as they are paying the enhanced cost on barrel basis but in return their getting the liquid petrol/liquid diesel on volume basis."
The application was filed on the pending public interest litigation by the petitioner in which she has sought direction to the Central government to fix a "fair price" of petrol and diesel as it is a policy matter which involved larger economic issues.
The court asked the government to consider an earlier representation pending before it on price rise of petrol and diesel.
Mahajan had filed a similar plea in July but the High Court had then directed the Centre to treat the PIL as a representation.
The petitioner has sought a directive to the Central government to fix a "fair price" of petrol and diesel in line with the Essential Commodities Act.
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India describes attack on Fujairah 'unacceptable'
New Delhi (PTI): India on Tuesday described the wounding of three Indians in an attack on the United Arab Emirates' port city of Fujairah as "unacceptable" and pressed for an immediate cessation of hostilities targeting innocent civilians.
New Delhi's reaction came a day after the Indians were injured after a drone attack caused a fire at a major oil industry zone in Fujairah. The UAE had accused Iran of carrying out the strike.
"The attack on Fujairah that resulted in injury to three Indian nationals is unacceptable," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
"We call for immediate cessation of these hostilities and the targeting of civilian infrastructure and innocent civilians," the spokesperson said.
Jaiswal said India continued to stand for dialogue and diplomacy to deal with the situation so that peace and stability could be restored across West Asia.
"We also call for free and unimpeded navigation and commerce through the Strait of Hormuz in keeping with international law. India stands ready to support all efforts for a peaceful resolution of issues," he said.
The attack on Fujairah city came as the ceasefire between the US and Iran came under strain in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of the world's oil and gas pass, remains a major sticking point in the talks. Shipping through the narrow Gulf waterway has been severely disrupted by the conflict, triggering a sharp increase in oil prices and energy shortages in several countries.
The UAE's defence ministry on Monday said its air defence systems engaged 12 ballistic missiles, three cruise missiles and four drones launched from Iran.
The ministry affirmed that it "remains fully prepared and ready to deal with any threats and will firmly confront anything that aims to undermine the security of the country."
