Order on installing PoS machines at fair price shops stayed

The High Court of Karnataka on Tuesday stayed the State government’s April 13 directive to fair price shops to install point of sale (PoS) machines.

A vacation Bench of Justice B. Veerappa passed the order on petitions filed by Lakshmi and 35 other owners of fair price shops from Chikkamagaluru district. The interim order is applicable only to the petitioners.

Earlier, it was pointed out by the government counsel that the directive on PoS machines was applicable only to the FPSs located in town/urban areas.

However, the petitioner’s counsel has claimed that despite being in urban area, there is no guarantee of uninterrupted power supply while pointing that there would not be power supply for more than three days at a stretch when it rains for a day in their district.

Installation of PoS machines has no meaning in the absence of uninterrupted power supply and good Internet/Wi-Fi facility even in the urban areas, the petitioners contended.

The court asked that State to file its response to the petitioners’ requirement on uninterrupted power supply and Internet connectivity. The petitioners have also questioned the different rate of commission being offered to the FPSs. The notification issued on May 5 offers ₹87 a quintal as commission for FPSs with PoS facility and ₹13 a quintal for those without PoS facility.