The Bangalore Traders Action Committee (BTAC) which had opposed the issue of private market yard licence to German retail giant Metro Cash & Carry, is mulling joining the state government in fighting the case against the company. The company had secured stay on the state government’s move to withdraw its licence on Tuesday.
“We anticipated, the company would approach the court against the state government order. We are now planning to join the government in support of our stand and help the government defend the withdrawal of licence issued to the company. We will discuss the issue with all our member associations and take a decision in this regard,” Ramesh Chandra Lahoti, member of the advisory board of BTAC, said.
Earlier, on Tuesday, the high court of Karnataka stayed the February 28 order of the government withdrawing permission to do business in 112 notified agricultural commodities, including pulses and cereals to Metro Cash & Carry India Pvt Ltd. The company claimed that the withdrawal of the permission accorded to them on January 18 was illegal and arbitrary. Justice Abdul Nazir, who stayed the government order for seven days, had ordered that notice be issued on the state government.
Chief minister B S Yeddyurappa had cancelled the licence of Metro following a threat by the traders to go on an indefinite strike from Monday protesting the government’s earlier order.
“The state government has all the powers to withdraw licence to anybody in the interest of farmers and traders, and in this case it was apt on the part of the government to do so because the department of agricultural marketing had wrongly issued the licence to Metro, which set up its trading outlet outside the boundary of APMC. Under the existing rules of APMC, no trader can function within 25 kms of the APMC premises. We are ready to support the government in the court,” Lahoti added.
