Ambuja Singh and Anr v. The State of Assam and 8 Ors

ORDER

07.08.2024

¶1Heard Mr. I. Alam, learned counsel for the petitioner, who submits that the impugned order dated 22.07.2024 passed by the Sub-Divisional Officer (Civil), Lakhipur, suspending the PDS Licence granted in the name of the petitioner no.1 should be set aside, inasmuch as, no notice had been issued to the petitioner, prior to the impugned order dated 22.07.2024.

¶2Mr. K. Gogoi, learned counsel for all the respondents submits that the impugned order dated 22.07.2024 is with regard to the findings in the inquiry made against the petitioner no.1, in relation to diversion of highly subsidized TDPS rice meant for poor beneficiaries by the petitioner no.1. The Inquiry Report found that the petitioner no.1 had violated the provisions of Clause 10, Page No.# 4/5 20 and 25 of the Assam Public Distribution of Articles Order, 1982 (hereinafter referred to as the "1982 Order") read with the terms and condition nos.2(a)(b), 4, 7 as well as Clause 10(1), 10(4)(i) and 11(3) of the Targeted Distribution System (Control) Order, 2015.

¶3Mr. K. Gogoi submits that any order issued by an officer lower in rank than the Deputy Commissioner/District Commissioner, can be challenged in appeal before the Deputy Commissioner/District Commissioner, in terms of Clause 29(1)

(b) of the 1982 Order. He submits that as the impugned order has been issued under the provisions of Clause 15(1) of the 1982 Order, the petitioner should challenge the impugned order before the Deputy Commissioner/District Commissioner.

¶4I have heard the learned counsels for the parties.

¶5As there is an alternative remedy available to the petitioner, this Court is not inclined to exercise it's discretion in this case, inasmuch as, Clause 29(1)(b) of the 1982 Order provides that an order made by the SDO(C), Lakhipur can be challenged in appeal before the Deputy Commissioner/District Commissioner.

¶6In view of the reasons stated above, the writ petition is dismissed, with liberty being given to the petitioner to approach the Deputy Commissioner/District Commissioner, Cachar against the impugned order dated

22.07.2024. In the event the petitioner approaches the Deputy Commissioner/District Commissioner, Cachar, within the limitation period of 30 days, from the date of receipt of the impugned order, the Deputy Page No.# 5/5 Commissioner/District Commissioner, Cachar shall dispose of the said appeal, after giving an opportunity of hearing to the petitioner, within a period of 15 days from the date of receipt of the appeal.

JUDGE Comparing Assistant

PageoNo.#o1/5 GAHC010152182024 ooooooo ooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooTHEoGAUHATIoHIGHoCOURTo (HIGHoCOURToOFoASSAM,oNAGALAND,oMIZORAMoANDoARUNACHALoPRADESH)o CaseoNo.o:oWP(C)/3843/2024o AMBUJAoSINGHoANDoANRo W/OoSRIoAMIToSINGHo R/OoPAILAPOOL,oP.S.oLAKHIPURo DIST.oCACHAR,oASSAM,oPIN-o788098 2:oSRIoBINODoKAIRI oS/OoLATEoBACHANoKAIRIo R/OoVILL-oLALANGKITTAo LABCPARoPART-II oP.O.oPAILAPOOLo P.S.oLAKHIPUR oDIST.oCACHAR oASSAM o PIN-78809o VERSUSo THEoSTATEoOFoASSAMoANDo8oORSo REPRESENTEDoBYoTHEoCHIEFoSECRETARY,oTOoTHEoGOVT.oOFoASSAM,o DISPUR,oGUWAHATI,oKAMRUPo(M)-6,oASSAM 2:THEoADDITIONALoCHIEFoSECRETARY oGOVT.oOFoASSAM oFOODoPUBLICoDISTRIBUTIONoANDoCONSUMERoAFFAIRS oDEPARTMENT oDISPUR oGUWAHATI-06. 3:THEoSECRETARY oTOoTHEoGOVT.oOFoASSAM oFOODoANDoCIVILoSUPPLIESoDEPARTMENT PageoNo.#o2/5 oDISPUR oGUWAHATI oKAMRUPo(M)-6 oASSAM 4:THEoCOMMISSIONER oFOODoANDoCIVILoSUPPLIES oCONSUMERoAFFAIRSoANDoLEGALoMETROLOGYoDEPARTMENT oGUWAHATI oKAMRUPo(M) oASSAM oPIN-o781005 5:THEoDISTRICToCOMMISSIONER oCACHAR oSILCHAR oASSAM oPIN-788001 6:THEoSUB-DIVISIONALoOFFICERo(CIVIL) oDEPARTMENToOFoFOODoANDoCIVILoSUPPLIES oLAKHIPUR oSUB-DIVISION oLAKHIPUR oCACHAR oASSAM o PIN-788098 7:THEoASSISTANToCOMMISSIONERoCUMoEXECUTIVEoMAGISTRATE oLAKHIPUR oDIST.oCACHAR oASSAM oPIN-788098 8:THEoSUPERINTENDENT oFOODoANDoCIVILoSUPPLIESoANDoCONSUMERoAFFAIRS oLAKHIPUR oSUB-DIVISION oLAKHIPUR oP.O.oANDoP.S.oLAKHIPUR o DIST.oCACHAR Page No.# 3/5 ASSAM PIN-788098 9:THE INSPECTOR FOOD AND CIVIL SUPPLIES AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS LAKHIPUR SUB - DIVISION LAKHIPUR P.O. AND P.S. LAKHIPUR DIST. CACHAR ASSAM PIN-78809 Advocate for the Petitioner : MR. I ALAM, MR. T SK Advocate for the Respondent : GA, ASSAM, BEFORE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE MICHAEL ZOTHANKHUMA