AMARAVATI: Andhra Pradesh High Court on Monday gave the green signal for door delivery of ration supplies in the State. The High Court stayed the State Election Commission's (SEC) orders directing the state government to change the colour of the ration vehicles. The HC said the interim orders would remain in effect until March 15 when the matter would come up for the next hearing.

The state government has approached the High Court seeking an order against the Election Commissioner not to obstruct the 'door-to-door ration' scheme in rural areas. The Civil Supplies Commissioner had filed a suit challenging the orders issued by the SEC.

The Civil Supplies Department has started taking measures to ensure for the supply of door delivery of ration as per the latest orders of the High Court. Civil supplies officials are reviewing arrangements in the districts.

It may be remembered that the State government last week had moved the High Court challenging the orders of the SEC over door delivery of ration through mobile vans. The SEC had instructed the Government to change the colours on the mobile vans, as they were similar to the party flag.

Counsel for the Government Advocate General (AG) Subramnaiam Sriram told the HC that the scheme was announced in 2019 and implemented on a pilot basis in Srikakulam district much before the announcement of panchayat elections. The SEC had stopped ration supply in rural areas in view of the elections despite the Chief Secretary explaining that it is an ongoing scheme, the SEC did not consider the representations and directed to change the colours of the vans, the AG stated. He further said that the colour on the vans were not identical to any other party and urged the court to set aside SEC’s order and requested its approval to allow door delivery of ration in rural areas which were affected by the SEC's orders.