APHC010325262024

IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction)

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MONDAY, THE TWENTY NINETH DAY OF JULY TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY FOUR

PRESENT

WRIT PETITION NO: 16344/2024

Between:

N Lakshmi Narayana Reddy

...PETITIONER

...RESPONDENT(S)

$\mathbf{AND}$

The State of AP and Others

Counsel for the Petitioner:

Sri. N RANGA REDDY

Counsel for the Respondent(S):

GP FOR CIVIL SUPPLIES

The Court made the following:

ORDER:

This writ petition is filed seeking the following relief:

"…to issue a Writ of Mandamus or any other appropriate Writ or writs, Order or direction declaring the action of the respondents in not supplying the essential commodities to the petitioner as illegal and arbitrary and to consequently direct the respondent Nos.3 & 4 to forthwith supply essential commodities to the petitioner and allow him to function as Fair Price Shop Dealer of F.P shop No.1252025 of Settpialli village, Penukonda Mandal, Sri Satya Sai District, by regularly supplying essential commodities, award costs and pass such other or further orders as are deemed fit and proper in the circumstances of the case."

2. Heard Sri M. Ranga Reddy, learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Assistant Government Pleader for Civil Supplies appearing for the respondents.

3. The case of the petitioner, in brief, is as follows:

The petitioner was appointed as permanent F.P Shop Dealer of F.P Shop No.1252025 of Settipalle village, Penukonda Madnal, Sri Satya Sai District, vide proceedings, dated 04.01.2020. Since then, the petitioner has been distributing the essential commodities to the cardholders without there being any complaints from any corner. The authorization of the petitioner was renewed from time to time and lastly it was renewed upto 31.03.2025. While so, due to change in the political scenario, the local political leaders are trying to grab the FP shop dealership influencing the respondents Nos.3 & 4 to allot stocks for the month of August, 2024 to third parties of

their choice. Aggrieved thereby, the petitioner filed this writ petition for continuation of supply of the essential commodities.

4. The learned Assistant Government Pleader for Civil Supplies submitted that so far no action has been taken for suspending the authorization/licence of the petitioner and all the allegations made in the affidavit are baseless. He further submitted that the petitioner approached this Court with unfounded apprehension and that the commodities would be supplied uninterruptedly so long as the authorization is not cancelled or suspended.

5. So far, as no action has been initiated against the petitioner herein to cancel/suspend the authorization/licence of the petitioner, abrupt stoppage of supply of essential commodities to the petitioner would not only hamper the right of the petitioner but also disturb the system as well causing hardship to the general public. In this regard, this Court has passed a similar order, dated 28.06.2024, in W.P.No.13307 of 2024. As such, this Court is of the view that it is a fit case to allow the writ petition.

6. In the result, the Writ Petition is allowed with a direction to the respondents Nos.3 and 4 to supply the essential commodities to the petitioner and allow the petitioner to continue as FPS dealer for which he has license, if he complied other formalities in the regular

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course, until any action is taken against the petitioner without violating law and principles of natural justice.

There shall be no order as to costs.

Pending miscellaneous applications, if any, shall stand closed.

__________________ B. S. BHANUMATHI, J

Dt.29-07-2024

Note:- Issue CC by 31.07.2024 (B/o) RAR