Policy-based withdrawal of commodity exemption cannot be struck down merely for hardship to manufacturers and workers.

Withdrawal of the exemption for beedi packages under Rule 34(c) of the Standards of Weight and Measures (Packages Commodities) Rules, 1977 was treated as a policy-based delegated legislative change. The challenge failed because no violation of the parent Act, the rule-making power, or the Constitution was shown, and the notification was not otherwise unreasonable or ultra vires. Alleged hardship to manufacturers and workers was held to be a matter for executive and legislative assessment, not a ground for judicial invalidation. Judicial review ordinarily does not extend to the availability or withdrawal of a commodity exemption when the measure is otherwise within lawful policy discretion.

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Issues: Whether the withdrawal of exemption for beedi packages under Rule 34(c) of the Standards of Weight and Measures (Packages Commodities) Rules, 1977 by the impugned notification could be struck down on the ground of hardship to manufacturers and workers and alleged absence of sufficient justification.

Analysis: The challenge was directed only against the policy choice reflected in the amendment withdrawing the exemption. No ground was established that the notification was ultra vires the parent Act, beyond the rule-making power, unreasonable, or unconstitutional on merits. The stated consequences, including inconvenience to manufacturers and possible hardship to workers, were held to be matters of policy for the executive and legislature, not a basis for judicial invalidation. The Court also noted that the availability or withdrawal of exemption for a commodity is a policy matter into which judicial review cannot ordinarily enter.

Conclusion: The challenge failed, and the impugned notification was not struck down.

Ratio Decidendi: Hardship caused by withdrawal of a statutory exemption, without violation of the parent Act, the Constitution, or the rule-making power, does not furnish a valid ground for striking down a policy-based delegated legislative measure.

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