CHENNAI: A writ petition was filed in the Madras High Court on Tuesday praying for a direction to the Centre to consider a representation seeking withdrawal of the steep hike in the price of petrol and ensure that fuel is available without difficulty.

In his public interest writ petition, AIADMK advocate R Balasubramanian of Kolathur submitted that the prices of petrol and diesel had been hiked exorbitantly in the last two years without any valid reason.