Will hear plea for release of rural funds, SC assures Punjab

The Supreme Court on Wednesday assured the Punjab Government that it would hear the latter's plea seeking an urgent release of over Rs 1,000 crore from the Centre on account of alleged dues of Market Fees and Rural Development Fees (RDF).

A counsel representing the Punjab Government urged a three-judge Bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud to take up the matter saying the state's interim application was listed for hearing on September 2 but it could not be taken up for paucity of time.

The counsel requested the Bench to issue a notice to the Centre on the Punjab Government's plea to ensure that a response came on record before the matter was taken up for hearing. "We will list the IA (interim application) for the hearing," the CJI said, without issuing a notice to the Centre on the state's plea.

The Supreme Court had on August 30 said it will hear on September 2 the Punjab Government's plea seeking an urgent release of over Rs 1,000 crore from the Centre on account of alleged dues of market fees and RDF.

The CJI-led Bench, which could not take up the matter on August 12 due to paucity of time, had posted it for hearing on September 2 following a joint request made by Attorney General R Venkataramani and Punjab Advocate-General Gurminder Singh.

The state government had last year filed a suit before the Supreme Court against the Centre over the non-reimbursement of statutory fees allegedly running into thousands of crores of rupees that the state government had levied on behalf of the Central government during the procurement of foodgrains.

In its original suit filed under Article 131 of the Constitution, Punjab complained against the Centre for refusing to transfer back the statutory market fees and rural development fees levied by the state on behalf of the Centre.