The Chief Justice’s bench of the Delhi High Court recently heard a PIL challenging the “illegal and unequal treatment given to the persons using credit and debit cards instead of cash”..Filed by advocate Amit Sahni, the petition states that an unlawful and discriminatory surcharge is being levied on the transactions made through credit and debit cards, while no surcharge is levied when the payment is made by cash..Before initiating the PIL, Sahni had filed an RTI inquiring about the total amount of petrol surcharge collected from consumers at petrol and CNG pumps throughout the country. He also asked about the guidelines governing the payments made through debit and credit cards..The response from RBI mentioned that they did not have the required information with them. Dissatisfied with the response, Sahni went in appeal stating that it was “highly unbelievable” that RBI did not have the required information. Respondeding to his appeal, RBI stated that the issues raised by him were already being discussed by the Government of India..Sahni then filed the PIL in the Delhi High Court..In his PIL, he seeks framing of guidelines by the government to prevent the charging of unlawful and discriminatory surcharge on debit and credit card transactions..Sahni further challenges the surcharge stating that it is arbitrary and against the law enshrined in the Constitution of India. He also states that “the users of credit and debit cards have always faced discrimination by merchants, including state-owned companies.”.Reportedly, last week when the matter was heard, the RBI insisted that the PIL be dismissed stating that “a PIL was not a weapon to challenge financial decisions”..RBI refuted the petitioner’s contention stating that they had neither violated any fundamental rights or any legal rights of the petitioner or any other citizen of India..The bench, however, refused to dismiss the petition and listed it to be heard on July 12.
The Chief Justice’s bench of the Delhi High Court recently heard a PIL challenging the “illegal and unequal treatment given to the persons using credit and debit cards instead of cash”..Filed by advocate Amit Sahni, the petition states that an unlawful and discriminatory surcharge is being levied on the transactions made through credit and debit cards, while no surcharge is levied when the payment is made by cash..Before initiating the PIL, Sahni had filed an RTI inquiring about the total amount of petrol surcharge collected from consumers at petrol and CNG pumps throughout the country. He also asked about the guidelines governing the payments made through debit and credit cards..The response from RBI mentioned that they did not have the required information with them. Dissatisfied with the response, Sahni went in appeal stating that it was “highly unbelievable” that RBI did not have the required information. Respondeding to his appeal, RBI stated that the issues raised by him were already being discussed by the Government of India..Sahni then filed the PIL in the Delhi High Court..In his PIL, he seeks framing of guidelines by the government to prevent the charging of unlawful and discriminatory surcharge on debit and credit card transactions..Sahni further challenges the surcharge stating that it is arbitrary and against the law enshrined in the Constitution of India. He also states that “the users of credit and debit cards have always faced discrimination by merchants, including state-owned companies.”.Reportedly, last week when the matter was heard, the RBI insisted that the PIL be dismissed stating that “a PIL was not a weapon to challenge financial decisions”..RBI refuted the petitioner’s contention stating that they had neither violated any fundamental rights or any legal rights of the petitioner or any other citizen of India..The bench, however, refused to dismiss the petition and listed it to be heard on July 12.