Tripura High Court: Arindam Lodh, J. dismissed a writ petition by the petitioner challenging the show cause notice issued against him whereby the dealership of his fair price shop was threatened to be cancelled.
The counsel appearing for the petitioner is K. Nath and learned Additional GA appearing for the State-respondent is D. Sharma.
Petitioner was appointed as a dealer of a fair price shop in 1968. A show-cause notice was issued upon him in 2018 stating that he had violated the guidelines provided under Tripura Foodgrains Dealers Licensing Order, 1964 for his personal gain. The petitioner replied to the show cause stating that he was aged 86 years and suffering from Parkinson’s disease due to which he could not move independently. As a result, he had to appoint one person or employee for the smooth functioning of the fair price shop licensed to him. Thus, he urged that the person in whose favour he had executed a power of attorney (one Ratan) for running the dealership of shop, not be treated as a proxy dealer.
The Court noted that it was evident from the Power of Attorney that the petitioner had bestowed the responsibilities and the liabilities upon Ratan and that he has no involvement with the running of the shop. Thus, it was true that the petitioner has not been running the business for which the dealership was provided to him. Further, it was also admitted by the petitioner that he has nominated a person (apart from his family members) to run his fair price shop.
The Court also took note of a memorandum dated 18-03-2011 issued by the Director, Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Government of Tripura wherein it was clearly mentioned that “no F.P. Shop shall be allowed to run by any person other than the original licensee (i.e. in favour of whom the license has been issued by the Licensing Authority) for an unlimited or unreasonable period”.
In view of the above, it was held that the petitioner was running his business of contradictory to the directives of the government, and the court had no jurisdiction to invade or replace the decision of the government. Thus, due to lack of merit, the petition was dismissed.[Sachindra Chandra Das v. State of Tripura, 2019 SCC OnLine Tri 500, decided on 20-11-2019]
