Jharkhand High Court Takes Serious Note of Petrol-Diesel Crisis in the Capital; Demand Raised for Online Hearings
Ranchi: The issue regarding the depletion of petrol and diesel at several fuel stations in the capital city of Ranchi—and the consequent surging crowds—reached the Jharkhand High Court on Friday. Appearing before a division bench comprising Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad and Justice Sanjay Prasad, Advocate Shailesh Kumar Singh and Senior Advocate M.S. Mittal drew the court's attention to the gravity of the situation.
The advocates apprised the court that fuel stocks have run dry at numerous petrol pumps across the capital, resulting in the closure of several stations. Meanwhile, those pumps that remain operational are witnessing long queues of people, forcing motorists to wait for hours on end. They argued that, given the prevailing circumstances, it has become imperative to curtail unnecessary public movement.
During the hearing, the advocates also cited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal urging citizens to adopt a "Work from Home" routine. Based on this premise, a plea was submitted to the High Court to implement a system for online hearings on an immediate basis.
The division bench acknowledged that the court is fully cognizant of the petrol and diesel situation, not only in the capital city of Ranchi but also across other districts of the state. The Court further stated that efforts would be made to bring this matter to the attention of the Chief Justice of the High Court. Additionally, the advocates were advised to present their request regarding the conduct of online court proceedings directly before the Chief Justice.
