New Delhi, Aug 13: The High Courts of Delhi and Rajasthan today ordered a limited stay on Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee`s cancellation of petrol pumps and LPG dealership allotments. In a related order, the Jodhpur bench of the high court on August nine had directed the Union government and the petroleum companies to take "no steps adverse to their (allottees) interest without giving an opportunity of hearing."
The petitioners in both the courts pleaded that they had been allotted dealerships after fair selection process and the allotment cannot be cancelled without giving them an opportunity of hearing.


The Delhi High Court ordered an interim stay in respect of two allottees--one in Delhi and the other in UP--while Rajasthan High Court stalled operation of the directive in the entire state.
Accepting the contention of two allottees of petrol pump and LPG agency that government cannot cancel genuine allotments by a sweeping order, Delhi High Court Judge Manmohan Sarin stayed operation of the Centre`s notification cancelling all allotments from the year 2000 in the case of the two allottees. Justice K S Rathore of Jaipur bench of Rajasthan High Court stayed the Prime Minister`s order cancelling allotment of petrol pumps in the case of beneficiaries in Rajasthan.
Hearing 70 petitions challenging the Centre`s "arbitrary" order, Justice Rathore directed "no allotment would be cancelled in Rajasthan without giving proper hearing to the allottees."
The Jodhpur bench of the high court had on August nine directed the union government and the petroleum companies to take "no steps adverse to their (allottees) interest without giving an opportunity of hearing."
Madhya Pradesh High Court would tomorrow hear a bunch of petitions challenging the validity of Vajpayee`s order. One of the respondents in the petitions is the Prime Minister and court is likely to hear him on the issue.
Bureau Report