Mohan Singh v. State of Uttarakhand

IN THE HIGH COURT OF UTTARAKHAND AT NAINITAL HON'BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE SRI VIPIN SANGHI AND HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE RAKESH THAPLIYAL SPECIAL APPEAL NO. 285 OF 2023 09TH AUGUST, 2023 BETWEEN: Mohan Singh

…..Appellant. And State of Uttarakhand & others

….Respondents. Counsel for the Appellant : Mr. B.S. Adhikari, learned

counsel. Counsel for the Respondent Nos.1 to 4 : Mr. S.S. Chauhan, learned

Deputy Advocate General. The Court made the following: JUDGMENT:(per Hon'ble The Chief Justice Sri Vipin Sanghi) Delay Condonation Application (IA No.01 of 2023)

Issue notice. Learned counsel appears and accepts notice on behalf of respondent nos.1 to 4.

2.

Learned counsel for respondent nos.1 to 4 does not fairly oppose the application seeking condonation of 299 days delay in preferring the present special appeal. The application is, accordingly, allowed and the delay is condoned.

Special Appeal No. 285 of 2023

3.

The present appeal is directed against the order dated 05.09.2022, passed by the learned Single Judge in Writ Petition (M/S) No.2102 of 2022. The impugned order is short, and we, accordingly, reproduce the same hereunder:-

"Mr. K.K. Harbola, learned counsel for the petitioner. Mr. Yogesh Pandey, learned Addl. Chief Standing Counsel for the State. Admittedly, the petitioner's wife is a Gram Pradhan of the Village, where he is running a fair price shop. The Government of Uttarakhand has taken a decision to cancel all such retail outlet under the P.D.S. Scheme, which is being allotted to any relative of the Gram Pradhan or Up-Pradhan. The petitioner's case, therefore does not have any merit in consideration; hence, the writ petition is dismissed in limine".

¶4The appellant had preferred the said writ petition to assail the cancellation of P.D.S. allotted to him by order dated

03.01.2022. The said order, which was impugned in the writ petition, reads as follows:- "पूित१ िनरी्क, बाराकोट ने अपने पআांक ৯ाप / पू०िन० / जॉच / िदनांक 16 िसत?र, 2021 के ?ारा अवगत कराया गया है िक शी मोहन िसंह, उिचत दर िवॿे ता मिटयाल की प?ी शीमती शा्न देवी ঁाम ঋधान के पद पर िनयुঢ है। अपर आयुঢ, खा् नागौरक आपूित१ एवं उपभोঢा मामले िवभाग, उ?राखਔ देहरादून के पআ संূा - 2818 / आоखा० / 804-3/2021 िदनांक 30 िदस?र, 2021 के ?ारा अवगत कराया गया है, िक शासनादेश संূा 1179/xix/ 08-162/ खा् / 2005 िदनांक 26 िदस?र, 2008 म७ ?व?था है िक ঋधान एवं उपঋधान अथवा उसके पौरवार या स?्?यो ं "के नाम पूव१ म७ Fीकृ त उिचत दर की दुकान िनर् की जाए तथा शासनादेश के अनुसार आव?क काय१वाही करने के िनद८श िदये गए ह॰। अतः पूित१ िनरी्क, बाराकोट के उঢ पআ एवं उঢ शासनादेश के ॿम म७ िजलािधकारी महोदय के अनुमोदन आदेश िदनांक 03.01.2022 के अनुपालन म७ शी मोहन िसंह उिचत दर िवॿे ता मिटयाल की उिचत दर की दुकान का ঋािधकार पআ तਚाल ঋभाव से िनर् िकया जाता है।

िजला पूित१ अिधकारी, च?ावत।"

¶5The aforesaid order would show that it was premised on the communication dated 30.12.2021, issued by the Additional Commissioner, Food and Civil Supplies, which referred to the Government Order bearing No.1179/xix/08-162/ खा् /2005, dated 26.12.2008. It also refers to the order dated 03.01.2022, issued with the approval of the District Magistrate, pursuant to the aforesaid Government Order dated 30.12.2021. However, neither of those documents were filed by the appellant/ writ petition before the Court, nor put to challenge.

¶6Mr. Adhikari, learned counsel for the appellant submits that the appellant was not possessed of the said documents, and therefore, could not put them to challenge. He states that he will assail the said orders as well, apart from assailing the order dated 03.01.2022.

¶7In the face of the aforesaid Government Orders, the cancellation of the allotment made to the petitioner could not have been challenged, unless the Government Orders themselves were put to challenge.

¶8In the light of the aforesaid, we dispose of this appeal with liberty to the appellant to assail the Government orders above referred to.

9.

The appeal stand disposed of with liberty, as prayed for.

¶10Pending application, if any, also stands disposed of.

(VIPIN SANGHI, C.J.)

(RAKESH THAPLIYAL, J.) Dated: 09th August, 2023 NISHANT