A bench including Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, was petitioned by lawyer Shadan Farasat, representing the Punjab Government, to list the interlocutory application (IA) in a pending case against the Centre for urgent hearing. The state seeks the immediate release of the funds as an interim measure.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday (Aug 6) agreed to consider an interim plea from the AAP-led Punjab government seeking the urgent release of over Rs 1,000 crore from the Centre, claiming it as dues related to the Rural Development Fund (RDF).
A bench including Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, was petitioned by lawyer Shadan Farasat, representing the Punjab Government, to list the interlocutory application (IA) in a pending case against the Centre for urgent hearing. The state seeks the immediate release of the funds as an interim measure.
“We are requesting that the IA be listed next week, if possible. There is an urgent need for funds,” Farasat stated.
Chief Justice Chandrachud agreed to an early hearing of the plea.
The Bhagwant Mann-led Government filed the lawsuit in 2023, alleging the Centre’s non-release of the RDF and withholding a portion of the market fee, claiming the Centre owed Punjab over Rs 4,200 crore.
The plea argued that the RDF and market fee are critical for the efficient functioning of the procurement process and that the state has the constitutional prerogative to determine the rates for these fees in food grain procurement.
