All Assam Gaon Panchayat Level Samabai Samitee Employee Association v. The State of Assam and 3 Ors

ORDER Date : 11-03-2024

¶1Heard Mr. A Sarma learned counsel for the petitioner and Mr. D Nath learned senior Government Advocate.

¶2The petitioner is the association representing the Co-operative Societies registered under the Assam Co-operative Societies Act, 1949 and regulated by the aforesaid statute and the rules framed there under. The petitioner societies is in the field of lifting and distribution of PDS articles under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 and also the Assam Public Distribution of Articles Order, 1982.

¶3The claim of the petitioner's is that they are not being paid their due against their commission due to them. According to the petitioners' such amount is to be paid by the state from central assistance in terms of the National Food Securities Act, 2013.

¶4They claimed that similarly situated Co-operative societies in a similar situation of non-payment of commission for distributing food grains/rations, had approached this court by filing different writ petition, and this court by its common order passed in I.A(Civil) Page No.# 3/4 139/2022 arising out of different writ petition, issued certain directions for payment of such outstanding dues. The petitioners submits that being similarly situated the petitioner is also entitled for similar relief.

¶5Though Mr. D Nath learned senior government advocate on instructions has not disputed as regards execution of the work by the petitioners, however, he submits that exact amount due against to each individual writ petitioner can be verified by the competent authorities only. He further submits that though the case of the petitioner is squarely covered by the earlier order that has been relied by the petitioner, however, at that point of time funds were available as reflected in paragraph 18 and 19 of the aforesaid order, but in the present case it may require some time to arrange for money.

¶6Considered the submissions advanced and also perused the order dated 13.01.2022 passed in I.A(Civil) No.139/2022. There is no dispute as regards the due claimed by the petitioner. The petitioners' are also similarly situated to that of the petitioners in I.A(Civil) 139/2022. There is no dispute as regards entitlement of money to the petitioners' and further in the considered opinion of this court the petitioners' cannot be deprived of their rights for want of fund.

¶7Accordingly, it is provided that the petitioners' shall file a representation with their individual claims before the Commissioner of Food and Civil Supplies of Consumer Affairs and Legal Metrology (1) within a period of three weeks from today. Along with a copy of the order passed today. The Commissioner shall verify the individual claim and if it is found that the petitioners' are entitled for such Page No.# 4/4 payment, the Commissioner shall do the needful for arranging the finance, if necessary, by involving the Finance Department and thereafter, do the needful for release of the admitted amount to the petitioners'.

¶8The entire exercise shall be carried out within a period of 4

(four) months from the date of receipt of a certified copy of this order and the claim submitted by the petitioner.

JUDGE Comparing Assistant

PageoNo.#o1/4 GAHC010035282022 ooooooo ooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooTHEoGAUHATIoHIGHoCOURTo (HIGHoCOURToOFoASSAM,oNAGALAND,oMIZORAMoANDoARUNACHALoPRADESH)o CaseoNo.o:oWP(C)/1545/2022o ALLoASSAMoGAONoPANCHAYAToLEVELoSAMABAIoSAMITEEoEMPLOYEEo ASSOCIATION HAVINGoITSoREGISTEREDoOFFICEoAToSORBHOG oPOoANDoPS-oSORBHOG oDIST-oBARPETA PIN-o781317 oREPRESENTEDoBYoITSoSECRETARYoSRIoDASARATHoADHIKARI oAGEDoABOUTo52 oS/OoSRIoGANESHoCHABDRAoADHIKARY oVERSUS THEoSTATEoOFoASSAMoANDo3oORS REP.oBYoPRINCIPALoSECRETARY oFOOD oCIVILoSUPPLIESoANDoCONSUMERoAFFAIRSoDEPARTMENT oGOVERNMENToOFoASSAM oDISPUR oGHY-o781006 2:THEoCOMMISSIONERoANDoSECRETARY FOOD oCIVILoSUPPLIESoANDoCONSUMERoAFFAIRSoDEPARTMENT oGOVERNMENToOFoASSAM oDISPUR oGHY-o781006 o3:THEoSECRETARY FOOD oCIVILoSUPPLIESoANDoCONSUMERoAFFAIRSoDEPARTMENT oGOVERNMENToOFoASSAM oDISPUR oGHY-o781006 o4:THEoDIRECTOR Page No.# 2/4 FOOD CIVIL SUPPLIES AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT GOVERNMENT OF ASSAM BHANGAGARH GHY- 781005 ------------ Advocate for : MR. A SARMA Advocate for : GA ASSAM appearing for THE STATE OF ASSAM AND 3 ORS BEFORE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE ARUN DEV CHOUDHURY