Kerala to provide rice at Rs 2/kg

The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed the Kerala High Court order allowing the state government to provide rice at Rs 2 per kg to all ration card holders.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed the Kerala High Court order allowing the state government to provide rice at Rs 2 per kg to all ration card holders.

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A Bench comprising Justices Altamas Kabir and Cyriac Joseph issued a notice to Kerala government on the petition filed by the Election Commission challenging the March 21 order of the High Court rejecting its plea to restrain the state government from implementing the scheme.

The High Court had passed the order on a petition filed by CPI legislator Rajaji M Thomas challenging the EC order which prevented the government from implementing the scheme.

The apex court bench, which also sought a response from Thomas on the EC's appeal, said whether the Commission has jurisdiction to pass such an order to stop the state government from implementing its welfare scheme when the election date has been announced would be examined later.

The Election Commission had on Monday had moved the apex court challenging the High Court's decision setting aside its order which restrained the state government from providing rice at Rs 2 per kg to all ration card holders in the poll-bound state.