M/S J L Electrical Agency and 15 Ors v. The State of Assam and 9 Ors

ORDER

20.05.2024

Heard Mr. J. Roy, learned Sr. Counsel assisted by Mr. R. Hazarika, learned Page No.# 5/6 counsel for the petitioners and Mr. K.P. Pathak, learned Standing Counsel, APDCL. Ms. S. Sarma, learned Government Advocate appears for the State respondents.

¶2By way of the instant writ petition the writ petitioners are assailing the impugned final notice of termination issued to the petitioners by the APDCL and for release of their respective outstanding dues.

¶3The brief facts of the case is that the 16 numbers of the writ petitioners are franchisees under the APDCL under Jorhat Electrical Circle. The Jorhat Electrical Circle consists of 3 divisions, wherein the petitioners have been serving as franchisees under the APDCL in the said electrical circles since 2005. After expiry of the 2 years of service of the petitioners, in the month of September, 2018, the respondent authorities have not extended their services for another 3 years and also not released their outstanding dues. As such, the present writ petition has been filed.

¶4It appears that the petitioners have been appointed vide an Agreement dated

01.10.2016. It further appears that due to notice of termination and for non payment of the outstanding dues to the petitioners, the petitioners herein have filed the instant writ petition. The details of the payment due to the petitioners are as follows- "Total amount receivable by the Franchise from APDCL

¶1Jorhat Electrical sub div III Total amount (Rs) = 25,72,141/-

¶2Jorhat Electrical sub div | Total amount (Rs) = 17,85,308/-

¶3Titabar Electrical sub div Total amount (Rs) = 7,03,366/-

¶4Dargoan Electrical sub div Total amount (Rs) = 6,69,892/-

¶5Majuli Electrical sub div Total amount (Rs) = 7,64,075/-

____________________________________________________________

Grand Total = 64,94,782/-"

¶5Before going into the other issues involved in the writ petition this Court finds that the subject agreement provides for a dispute mechanism. Clause 15 of the agreement is reproduced hereinbelow for ready reference-Page No.# 6/6 "15. Dispute

1) Any dispute or difference between the parties arising from the agreement shall be tried to be settled amicably through consultations and negotiations by the AGM of the franchised area.

ii) If remains unsettled it shall be first referred to the CEO of the franchised area for amicable settlement.

iii) If the dispute still remains unresolved after negotiation between the franchisee and CEO of the franchised area, it shall be referred to the General Manager (Com-Rev), APDCL for final settlement."

¶6It also appears from the affidavit-in-opposition filed on behalf of the APDCL that the APDCL authorities disputes the claim of the petitioners. There appears to have been a dispute arisen between the parties.

¶7That being so, the said dispute is ought to be resolved in view of the mechanism stipulated in the agreement made between the parties. However, without resorting to the aforesaid mechanism, this writ petition has been filed.

¶8In view of the alternative mechanism available between the parties, this Court finds no merit whatsoever in this writ petition.

¶9Accordingly, the writ petition stands dismissed.

¶10Needless to clarify that the petitioners are at liberty to resort to the mechanism as provided under the subject agreement, if so desired.

JUDGE Comparing Assistant

PageoNo.#o1/6 GAHC010315922019 ooooooo ooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooTHEoGAUHATIoHIGHoCOURTo (HIGHoCOURToOFoASSAM,oNAGALAND,oMIZORAMoANDoARUNACHALoPRADESH)o CaseoNo.o:oWP(C)/9467/2019o M/SoJoLoELECTRICALoAGENCYoANDo15oORSo AoPROPRIETORSHIPoFIRM,oHAVINGoITSoOFFICEoAToNAPOMUA,oDIST-o JORHAT,oASSAM.oREP.oBYoIToPROPRIETORoMR.oRINKUMONIoDUTTAo (oD.O.B.-o31.08.1986) 2:oM/SoHAZARIKAoTRADERS oHAVINGoITSoOFFICEoAToSANTIPUR oDIST-oJORHAT oASSAM.oREP.oBYoITSoPROPRIETORoMR.oDIPUoHAZARIKAo(D.O.B.-o 12.01.1972) 3:oM/SoDUTTAoELECTRICALS oHAVINGoITSoOFFICEoAToNOWBOISHIAoGAON oASSAM.oREP.oBYoITSoPROPRIETORoMR.oDINOMONIoDUTTA.o(D.O.B.-o 01.01.1976) 4:oM/SoBORAHoELECTRICALS oHAVINGoITSoOFFICEoAToDISOIoNAGAR oASSAM.oREP.oBYoITSoPROPRIETORoMR.oNITULoBORAHo(D.O.B.-o01.08.1975) 5:oM/SoAoBoELECTRONICS oHAVINGoITSoOFFICEoAToBORALIoGAON oNEMATIoGHAT oASSAM.oREP.oBYoITSoPROPRIETORoMR.oBIMANoCHANDRAoDASo(D.O.B.-o 01.02.1982). 6:oM/SoBHAIJANoHUSSAIN PageoNo.#o2/6 oHAVINGoITSoOFFICEoAToDHEMAJIoKABRATNA oP.O.oBHGURI oDIST.-oDHEMAJI oASSAM.oREP.oBYoITSoPROPRIETORoMR.oBHAIJANoHUSSAINo(D.O.B.-o 29.01.1971) 7:oM/SoSoBoASSOCIATION oHAVINGoITSoOFFICEoAToBORPUKHARIPARoGAON oPO-oMUDOIoGAON oDIST-oJORHAT oASSAM.oREP.oBYoITSoPROPRIETORoMR.oSANJIBoBORAHo(D.O.B.-o04.05.1984) 8:oM/SoSoSoELECTRICALS oHAVINGoITSoOFFICEoAToKOLAKHOWAoGAON oASSAM.oREP.oBYoITSoPROPRIETORoMR.oSOURAVoSAIKIAo(D.O.B.-o30.04.1974) 9:oM/SoNoNATHoELECTRICALoAGENCY oHAVINGoITSoOFFICEoAToVILL-oRONGDOIoHOLLOWCHAK oASSAM.oREP.oBYoITSoPROPRIETORoMR.oNITULoNATHo(D.O.B.-o01.01.1969). 10:oM/SoPoBoENTERPRISE oHAVINGoITSoOFFICEoAToKOLAKHOWAoGAON oDIST.oJORHAT oASSAM.oREP.oBYoITSoPROPRIETORoMR.oSOURAVoSAIKIAo(D.O.B.-o30.04.1974) 11:oM/SoPARIKHIToBORUAH oHAVINGoITSoOFFICEoAToCHARIoGAON oBAHONA oASSAM.oREP.oBYoITSoPROPRIETORoMR.oPARIKHIToBORUAHo(D.O.B.-o 06.08.1981). 12:oM/SoPERFECToELECTRICAL oHAVINGoITSoOFFICEoAToITATHULIoGARMUR oASSAM.oREP.oBYoITSoPROPRIETORoKRISHNAoGOSHo(D.O.B.-o19.08.1953). 13:oM/SoSUNoENTERPRISE PageoNo.#o3/6 oHAVINGoITSoOFFICEoAToTANTIoGAON oPURANAoTITABOR oASSAM.oREP.oBYoITSoPROPRIETORoMR.oPANKOJoSAIKIA.o(D.O.B.-o 11.12.1984). 14:oM/SoHAZARIKAoENTERPRISE oHAVINGoITSoOFFICEoAToNIKINIoKHOWA oGAYANGAON oMAJULI oASSAM.oREP.oBYoITSoPROPRIETORoMR.oPRODIPoHAZARIKAo(D.O.B.-o 01.03.1976). 15:oM/SoMoDoENTERPRISE oHAVINGoITSoOFFICEoAToMAJULIoGARMUR oASSAM.oREP.oBYoITSoPROPRIETORoMR.oMUNINDRAoPEGUo(D.O.B.-o 05.02.1991). 16:oM/SoARUNDOIoENTERPRISE oHAVINGoITSoOFFICEoAToPOHUMORAoNATHoGAON oMAJULI oASSAM.oREP.oBYoITSoPROPRIETORoMR.oPRAFULLAoNATHo VERSUSo THEoSTATEoOFoASSAMoANDo9oORSo REP.oBYoTHEoCOMM.oANDoSECY.oTOoTHEoGOVT.oOFoASSAM,oPOWERo DEPTT.,oDISPUR,oGHY.-06. 2:THEoAPDCL oBIJULEEoBHAWAN o5THoFLOOR oPALTANoBAZAR oGUWAHATI-o781001. 3:THEoMANAGINGoDIRECTOR oAPDCL oBIJULEEoBHAWAN o5THoFLOOR oPALTANoBAZAR oGUWAHATI-o781001. 4:THEoCHIEFoGENERALoMANAGERo(oCOMoANDoEEo) oAPDCL oBIJULEEoBHAWAN Page No.# 4/6 PALTAN BAZAR GUWAHATI- 781001. 5:THE GENERAL MANAGER (COM-REV) APDCL BIJULEE BHAWAN PALTAN BAZAR GUWAHATI- 781001. 6:THE ASSAM STATE ELECTRICITY BOARD BIJULEE BHAWAN PALTAN BAZAR GUWAHATI- 781001. 7:THE CEO JEC APDCL JORHAT. 8:ASSTT. GENERAL MANAGER JORHAT ELECTRICAL DIVISION-I APDCL JORHAT. 9:ASSTT. GENERAL MANAGER JORHAT ELECTRICAL DIVISION-II APDCL JORHAT 10:ASSTT. GENERAL MANAGER JORHAT ELECTRICAL DIVISION-III APDCL JORHAT Advocate for the Petitioner : MR. J ROY Advocate for the Respondent : SC, APDCL BEFORE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE KAUSHIK GOSWAMI