ARUNANGSHU CHAKRABORTY Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This is a public interest litigation filed by a reporter of a Bengali daily newspaper. The subject-matter of challenge in this application is order No. 3683 issued by the Andaman and Nicobar Administration Secretariat revising the passenger ship fare. According to the revised tariff a non-islander is liable to pay almost double the amount payable by an islander. The order has been challenged inter alia on the ground of hostile discrimination. It would be convenient to set out the impugned order which is as follows:

(2.) The Administration has sought to justify the aforesaid revision on the following grounds;

(3.) It would appear from the explanation furnished by the administration, noticed above, that (a) geographical condition of this island, (b) the economical background of the people residing in the island, are factors which have been taken into consideration for the purpose of fixing concessional rate for the is- landers and the non-islanders basically coming to these islands for the purpose of tourism and for their-personal interest have been kept outside the zone of concession obviously because they do not suffer the same geographical condition and the economical background.