Punjab government has urged the Supreme Court to expedite the hearing of its plea seeking the urgent release of over Rs 1,000 crore from the Centre, citing the impending harvest season and the dire state of 'mandis' (grain markets) in the state. Advocate General Gurminder Singh emphasized the need for swift action to mitigate the impact on the state's rural development and procurement processes.
A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra acknowledged the submission, ensuring the plea will be heard in due course. The Punjab government claims the Centre owes the state over Rs 4,200 crore in Rural Development Fund (RDF) dues and withheld market fees.
The harvesting season is starting and the infrastructure of 'mandis', where agricultural produce is being sold in Punjab, are in a dilapidated condition, the law officer said.
The plea of the state government was on the cause list for the day, but it was unlikely to be heard as the bench was hearing another part-heard matter, he said, and urged the CJI to accord primacy to it on future dates.
We will keep this in some higher position after other cases are heard, the CJI told the advocate general.
On September 18, the bench had said it will list for hearing the interim plea of the Punjab government.
The top court had on August 30 also assured the Bhagwant Mann-led government that the plea will be taken up September 2.
The state government has filed an interim application in a pending lawsuit against the Centre and has sought urgent release of over Rs 1,000 crore as an interim measure.
The Punjab government had in 2023 moved the top court alleging non-release of the Rural Development Fund (RDF) and withholding a portion of the market fee by the Centre. It claimed that the Centre owed Punjab over Rs 4,200 crore.
The plea said the RDF and market fee enabled the effective functioning of the procurement process.
The state government has the prerogative of determining the market fee and the RDF for the purposes of procurement of food grains as it was recognised under the Constitution, it said.
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