Rakesh Kumar Mittal v. Union Of India & ORS.

$~75 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI + W.P.(C) 5371/2026 & CM APPL. 26293/2026 RAKESH KUMAR MITTAL .....Petitioner Through:

Mr. Rakesh Kr. Mittal, petitioner in person with Ms. Yamini Mittal, Mr.

Kamlesh Anand, Mr. Ajay, Ms.

Shashi Shekhar and Ms. Amrita Kumari, Advs.

versus UNION OF INDIA & ORS.

.....Respondent Through:

Mr. Chetan Sharma, ASG with Mr.

Abhishek Gupta, CGSC, Mr. Amit Gupta, Mr.R.V.

Prabhat, Mr.

Shubham Sharma, Mr. Yash Wardhan Sharma, Mr. Naman, Mr. Kumar Kartikeya, Mr. Chanakya Kene and Mr. Dhananjay Singh, Advs.

Ms. Mala Narayan, Mr. Shashwat Goel, Mr. Madhav Mathur, Ms.

Anjali Dhingra, Advs. for R-3.

Mr. Avneesh Garg, Adv. for R-5.

CORAM:

HON'BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE TEJAS KARIA

O R D E R

% 22.04.2026 1.

Heard the petitioner who appears in person and learned counsel representing the respondents.

2.

The instant public interest litigation petition has been filed addressing the acute shortage of Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) which is used by almost every household to meet the essential requirement of fuel for The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.

cooking. It is an essential commodity, however, as per the averments made in the writ petition, the residents of Delhi are facing scarcity as a result of less supply than the demand of LPG gas cylinders. Certain newspaper reports have also been relied upon by the petitioner to impress upon the Court that on account of inadequate steps which ought to be ensured by the respondents, the LPG gas cylinders are difficult to procure and the public, at large, is able to procure it only in black market on exorbitant rates. 3.

In our considered opinion, all such issues are the exclusive preserve of the Executive which completely lay in its realm. We notice that the Government of India and the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas had issued an Order on 16.04.1999 known as Petroleum Products (Maintenance of Production, Storage and supply) Order, 1999, which contains various provisions for meeting the exigencies related to production and supply of the LPG which is generally used as cooking fuel in every ordinary household. We also notice the revised Order issued by the Government of India on 09.03.2026 which reinforces the earlier 1999 Order to regulate the production, storage, supply of petroleum products in the interest of sustaining public life, economy and protecting consumer's interest. The said order provides for taking appropriate measures for ensuring that supply of petroleum products, which will include LPG as well, is maintained. 4.

Our attention has also been drawn to Orders issued under Section 3 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, on 09.03.2026 and 14.03.2026 which also take certain measures to meet the situation. 5.

However, the petitioner has submitted that though the respondents have been taking measures, the same are inadequate. 6.

As already observed above, taking measures to meet such exigencies The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.

lies exclusively in the realm of the Executive. Accordingly, we permit the petitioner to make a representation to the authority concerned highlighting the issues and once such a representation is made, the same shall be attended to by the authority concerned and adequate measures which may be warranted may also be taken.

7.

The writ petition, thus, stands disposed of in the aforesaid terms. DEVENDRA KUMAR UPADHYAYA, CJ TEJAS KARIA, J APRIL 22, 2026 N.Khanna The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.