A public interest petition has been filed in the High Court questioning the decision of the government and oil companies to insist that people furnish their Aadhaar cards to get subsidised LPG cylinders and the February 15 deadline for the same.
Petitioner G Bala Goud, a resident of the city, urged the court to declare the decision as illegal and arbitrary. He wanted the court to direct the authorities concerned not to impose the said condition till the completion of issuing Aadhaar cards to all the people.
Goud, a domestic LPG customer, submitted that people at large are subjected to mental agony and inconvenience due to the decision. There is no need to make Aadhaar card mandatory for the supply of cylinders as the government has already issued ration cards, voter identity cards etc. to identify people, he said.
The petitioner further said that following protests by people, the state government, through a letter to the Union government, has sought extension of the deadline as the Aadhaar enrolment process is still in progress and only 30 percent of it has been completed till now.
The ministry of petroleum and natural gas, principal secretary to civil supplies, chairmen and managing directors of Bharat Petroleum, Hindustan Petroleum and Indian Oil Corporation were named as respondents.
The petition is expected to come up for hearing on Monday.