The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued a notice to the Centre on a PIl seeking a direction to evolve a new plan of revival of Super Bazaar, Delhi's first chain of departmental stores located in Connaught Place.
A division bench of Chief Justice D Murugesan and Justice Jayant Nath issued notices to the Ministries of Consumer Affairs, Agriculture through the Central registrar, cooperation official liquidator and Writers and Publishers which purchased the Super Bazaar from the Government and sought their replies by July 31.
The court's order came on a PIl filed by Ram Gopal Sisodia, an ex-MlA, seeking revival of Super Bazaar which introduced the concept of shopping under one roof at an affordable prices.
Appearing for the petitioner, advocate Prashant Bhushan argued and prayed for quashing of the central government's decision to sell a majority stake of 73 percent in Super Bazaar Cooperative Society to Writers and Publisher which is a private company. The government had in its July 2009, order sold its 73 percent shares to Writers and Publishers with a condition to revive Super Bazaar in Rs 1.16 crores. The petition said the rate (Rs. 1.16 crores) at which Super Bazaar was sold to the private company was the rate prevailing in the year 1966 when the society started and it was sold at a less value after the financial irregularities and illegalities were committed by its officials.
As per the PIl, Super Bazaar had come into existence in 1966 as consumer co-operative stores. The main purpose for constituting the same was to provide to consumers quality daily use products at the cheaper rates. It had more than 155 retail outlets. The Bazaar was being run on 'no-profit-no-loss' basis. For almost three decades, Super Bazaar was having huge profits, the plea added. The petition said Super Bazaar at that time was having more than 40,000 members and 2,200 employees and the central government was also one of its members with 73.84 percent shares in the society.