The Centre assured the Bombay High Court that active diplomatic and policy measures are being taken to manage the LPG crisis caused by global disruptions. Urging trust, the government said domestic supply remains a priority, leading the Court to close the petition.
The Central government on Tuesday informed the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court that it is actively taking steps to handle the Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) situation in India, especially in light of the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict, which has affected supply at the international level. The government assured the Court that all necessary efforts are being made to ensure that domestic LPG availability in India is not impacted.
The submission was made by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta before a Bench of Justices Anil S Kilor and Raj D Wakode in the case of Omkar Sales and Others v. Union of India and Others. He explained that the government is continuously engaging in discussions and negotiations at various levels to manage the situation effectively.
“There are negotiations at diplomatic level. So, we are doing our best. The Court can consider closing this, trusting the government. Individual issues, the State government must take up,”
SG Mehta said.
He further clarified that due to the sensitive nature of international dealings, the government cannot publicly disclose the exact measures being taken at the global level. Based on these submissions, he requested the Court to close the petition filed by LPG dealers.
The petition had been filed by LPG dealers who alleged that, despite a shortage caused by the Middle East conflict, LPG exports were being given priority over domestic supply. According to them, this led to serious supply disruptions in Maharashtra’s Vidarbha region. The dealers also accused Confidence Petroleum India Limited (CPIL) of diverting LPG for export purposes while local consumers faced difficulties.
Earlier, on March 12, the High Court had issued notice to the Union government and CPIL, calling for their response. At that time, the Court had also observed that the issue was “serious”.
In response, the Central government filed an affidavit stating that the situation is dynamic and constantly changing, and therefore requires flexible decision-making by the authorities. The government emphasized that such matters are better handled by the executive rather than through judicial proceedings.
“By the very nature of the subject matter, it may not be desirable to discuss or debate these issues in court proceedings. Considering the nature of subject matter and its impact, which is not confined to jurisdiction of few districts, the court may be pleased it to leave it to the Central and State governments to deal with the situation in the best possible manner in larger public interest,”
the affidavit underscored.
During the hearing, SG Mehta also assured the Court that authorities are taking strict action wherever there are local issues caused by negligence or violations by distributors, whether at the wholesale or retail level.
After considering the government’s submissions and assurances, the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court decided to close the petition, placing trust in the steps being taken by the authorities to manage the LPG supply situation in the country.
Case Title:
Omkar Sales and Ors v. Union of India and Ors
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