Court to hear fuel price hike case tomorrow

Manama : The Supreme Administrative Court will review a complaint filed by a group of Bahraini attorneys against Oil Ministry for “unlawfully” increasing gasoline prices, last month.

The Ministry raised the prices on January 8, without issuing a gazette notification, which, the lawyers said, “violates  Bahrain’s constitution”. 

The first and second defendants in the case, according to Al Ayam daily, are the Oil Minister and the National Oil and Gas Authority Chairman of the Board of Directors, respectively. 

“The provisions of the law and the provisions of the Constitution are clear, beyond any doubt,” the report quoted Mohammed Al Thawadi, one of the plaintiffs a saying. 

Al Tawadi told Al Ayam daily that “specific measures must be taken and a law must be issued” after the adoption of legal measures. 

“It should be published in the Official Gazette and implemented one month after its publication,” Al Thawadi said.

The attorneys demanded the revocation of gasoline price hike decision and to compel the Ministry to pay the expenses of the case.

DT News reported last month that the attorneys initiated the case against the ministry on January 10, two days after the surprise increase in gasoline prices.

The complaint said, “No authority should take a decision without following proper legal and constitutional measures.” 

It further said: “The complaint isn’t against national economic strategies, but aims to ensure that legal procedures are followed and prevent future violations.” 

According to the January 9 decision of the National Oil and Gas Authority, the price of Jayyid fuel (91-octane) was increased to 140fils/litre from 125fils/litre and Mumtaz fuel (95-octane) price was increased to 200fils/litre from 160fils/litre. 

This is also the second time gasoline prices are increased in the Kingdom within two years after a similar decision was implemented in January 2016.