WP/15695/2016 of M/S KALYANI RICE INDUSTRIES, NALGONDA DIST Vs PRL SECY, CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND C.S., HYD AND 2 OT on 29 December 2023

[ [3302 ]]

IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE [STATE OF ][TELANGANA]AT HYDERABAD(Special Original Jurisdiction)

FRIDAY, THE TWENTY NINTH [DAY ][OF DECEMBER]TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY [THREE]

PRESENT

THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE [K. SARATH]

WRIT PETITION NO: 15695 [OF ][2016]

Between:

tvl/s.Kalyani Rice lndustries, Rep.by [its ][Partner,. ][Garlapati Mattupalli ][S/o ][Mallaiah,]aged 56 years, Occ Business, [Rl/o ][Miryalaguda, Nalgonda ][District.]

...PETITIONER

AND

1The State of Telangana, Rep. [by its ][Principal ][Secretary, Consumer ][Affairs,]Food and Civil Sup-plies T.S. [Se-cretariat ][Buildings ][Hyderabad.]Food and Civil Sup-plies T.S. [Se-cretariat ][Buildings ][Hyderabad.]

The District Collector, Nalgonda, [Nalgonda ][District.]

2

The Grain Purchasing Officer, [Miryalaguda, Nalgonda ][District.]

J

,..RESPONDENTS

Petition under Article 226 of [the ][constitution ][of ][lndia praying ][that ][in ][the]circumstances stated in the [affidavit ][filed ][therewith, ][the ][High ][court ][may ][be]pleased to lssue an appropriate writ, order [or ][direction more ][particularly ][one ][in]the nature of wRlT OF [MANDAMUS ][declare ][the ][seizure ][of ][Government ][IPK]Paddy 15174.20 Qtls own [Paddy 23325 ][Qtls ][, Boiled Rice 500 ][Qtls, ][Brokens ][80]Qfls worth totaling [Rs. ][5.71 ][crores ][by the 3rd ][respondent ][conducted]Panchanama dated 25-4-2016 [is illegal, arbitrary, ][improper. ][without ][any ][power ][or]authority under law and violation [of Article ][t ][9(t ])(g) [of the ][constitution ][of ][lndia-]

l.A. NO: 1OF 2O16(WPMP. [NO: ][194][0s ][oF ][2016)]

Petition under section 151 CPC [praying ][that ][in ][the circumstances stated ][in]the affidavit filed in support of [the ][petition, ][the ][High ][court ][may be pleased direct]the Respondents to release the [seized stocks ][of ][Government ][IPK ][Paddy]15174.20 Qtls Own Paddy [23325 ],Qtls , [Boiled Rice 500 Qtls, ][Brokens ][80 ][Qtls]worth totaling Rs. 5.71 Crores [by ][the 3rd ][respondent conducted ][Panchanama]daled 25-4-2016.

Counsel for the Petitioner: [SRI H.V.R.R.SWAMY]

Counset for the Respondents: [GP ][FOR ][CIVIL ][SUPPLIES]

The Court made the following: [ORDER]

THE HON'BLE [SRI ][JUSTICE K.SARATH]

U/RIT PET[ITION ][No.][ 1569][5 ][of ][2O16]

OR.DER:

This petition [is ][Iiled under Article ][226 ][of ][th.e]Constitution [of ][tndia, ][seeking ][the following ][relief:]

"... to issue [ant ][appropiate ][Wnt, Order ][or ][direction']more particularly [one ][in the ][nature ][of ][Wnt ][oJ]Monciamus, declare [the ][seizure ][of ][Gouernment ][IPK]poddpt 15174.20 Quintats, [Own ][Poddg: ][23325]Quintctls, [boiled ][Rice 5OO ][Quintats' ][Broken ][Rice 80]Quintals, [worth ][totating ][to ][Rs ][5 ][71 ][Crores ][bg the ][3'd]respondent I{o.3 [under ][Panchanama]datedu.tithout25.04.2016 as [iLlegat, ][arbitrary, ][improper']czn1 pou)er [or ][authoitg ][under ][lanu ][and ][uiolation ][of]Articte 19 [(1 ]) [(g) ][of ][the ][Constitution ][of ][India' ][" ]['"]

The learned learned [[Counsel ][for ][the ][petitioner ][submits]][[for ][the ][petitioner ][submits]][[the ][petitioner ][submits]][[petitioner ][submits]][[submits]]

2. The learned learned [[Counsel ][for ][the ][petitioner ][submits]][[for ][the ][petitioner ][submits]][[the ][petitioner ][submits]][[petitioner ][submits]][[submits]]that the lis in [this ][Writ ][Petition ][is ][squarely ][covered]by the Judgment [of ][this ][Court ][in ][Sri ][Sai ][Traders']its [Proprietor and others ][Vs' ][Assistant]rep. by Supply [Officer, Circle-l, ][Vijayawada ][and othersl']He lurther submits [that the ][seizure ][of ][stocks ][in ][the]' [2006 ][l4l ][ALT ][758]

page 2 oJ 4

wp No.ts6es "r i{;t"

preserrt case is prior to introduction of Clause 17 (e)of the Telalgala State public Distribution System(Control) Order, 2016 (for short ,the Control Order),arrd th,rt by the date of seizure, purchase of pDS ricefrom the cardholders is not an offence. He furthersubmitri that in Maimuna Begum Vs. The State ofTelangir.na rep. by its Chief Secretary2, thisCourt held that purchase of pDS r-ice from thecardhoklers is not al offence.3. LeeLrned Government pleader tor Civil Supplies,representing the Government pleader, submits thatas per cliluse 17 (.el of the Control Or,Cer, any person,who is fitund to have purchased the rice suppliedthrough jfublic Distribution System either from thecard holclers or from the F.p shop dealer or anyothersotlrce,IS Iiable for criminal action arldrmpositiorr of penalty as may be fixed by theq- [2 ]2016 (5) ALT 280

the competent authority. [However, ][he ][could ][not]dispute that as [on ][the date ][of ][seizure, ][purchase of]PDS rice from the [cardholders ][is ][not an ][offence]conhscation [under ][6-,4 ][of ][the ][Essential]entailing Commodities [Act.]

4This Court in [Maimuna Begum's ][case ][(supra]

2) lneld as under:

" A careJul reading of [Clause ][17(A) ][of ][Andhrd ][Pradesh ][State]Public Distibution [System (Controt) ][Order, ][2O08' ][shows ][tlnt]the same is [attrocted- ][if ][a ]fair [pice ][shop ][dealer ][or ][cardholder]or anA [person ][causes ][interntption ][or ][interkres tuith ][tlle]smooth distibution [of ][scheduled commodities ][under ][the]publrc drstnbutio,t syslem [or ][other ][Gouernment ][schemes ][at]ang leuel ngLtt frott [the ][Foo(l ][Corporation ][oJ ][India godoun ][to]tLe fair [price ][shop ][poirtt, ][titl ][the ][scheduled ][commoditg]reaches the [Lntended benefi.ciary' From ][the ][unequiuocal ][plain]language of this [prouision, ][it ][is ][clear ][that ][it ][gets attracted]when there is [u ][eruption ][of ]lood [grains ][from ][ttLe ][stage ][of]FCI gorlotutt tlll [il ][reaches ][the end ][beneficiary]i.e.,cdrdholders [The prouision ][does ][not ][comprehend ang]actiuitA relating to [ana ][commoditg ]fatling [under the ][Control]Order, 2OOB [once ][it ][reaches ][the cordlalden ][Th'ere ][is ][rto]u.,hispet eitfler [in ][the ][detention ][ord'er ][or ][in ][tlrc ][grounds ][of]detention thclt aftg [of ][the ][detenus ][is ntemtpting ][the smooth]functioning [of ][the ][scheduled comrrodtties ][from the ][FCI]godou,n point [ti.ll ][it ][reaches ][intended ][beneficiary' ][On ][tle]contrary, the whole [allegation ][agaiftst the ][detenus ][is ][that ]-

theg haue been purchasingthe PDS ice from thectzrriholders. Therefora, Ihlsactiuitg of the detenusctzrriholders. Therefora, Ihlsactiuitg of the detenuscompletely falls outside Clause 1Z(A) of the Control Order,200i1. Once there is no prohibition on such octiuig eitherunder the 1995 Act or under the Control Order, 2OOg uthtchundisputedlg is the onlg Order that gouerns distribution (rndunder the 1995 Act or under the Control Order, 2OOg uthtchundisputedlg is the onlg Order that gouerns distribution (rndconbol of rtce meant Jor public d.istibution sllstem, thedeteilus cannot be accused of committng ang offence. As thedeteilus cannot be accused of committng ang offence. As therespttndentsfailed to show that the detenushaue,contrzuenedthe prouistons oJ ang other ControlOrderframrzd under Section 3 of the l99S Act, the olteged actiutttesframrzd under Section 3 of the l99S Act, the olteged actiutttesoJ th(, detenus are not hable for anA penal cLction. Once theractiuties do not constitute (ln offence under Law, theirpreuentiue detention under the prouistons of the jggo Aclcannot be sustained".cannot be sustained".

5. Following the judgment of this Court in Maimuna Begum's case (supra 2) and for the reasons alike, this writ t)etition is allowed. No order as to costs.

6. Miscellaneous applications, if any, pending this Writ l)etition shall stand closed.

1n

.l'hat Rule Nisi has been made absolute a,s above'witness rliEil'or.rgr-e ' '-fiiUay, fn" [rHe ]Twenty [cirEi ]Ninth-Day 'lusrlcE-ALoK Of December[ARADHE' on ][this]iwo Thousand [And ][Twenty ][I ][hree]iwo Thousand [And ][Twenty ][I ][hree]

SD/. C. [PRAVEEN ][KUMAR]ASSISTANT [REGISTRAR]

//TRUE COPY//

SECTOFFICER

to',,

' The [princioal ]Secretary, [Consumer ][Affairs, ][Food ][and ][Civil Supplies T ][S ][Secretariat]Ririldinos State of Telanqana, Hyderabad'

z. ine oiitrict [t)ollector, ][Nalgonda, Nalgonda ][lJrstrlct ][[.]]

5. +ii; G;;i;Pii[nadlng [otricer, ][t'lirvatiguda' ][Nalsonda District'][[.]]

a. One CC to [SRI H.V.R.R.SWAMY, ][Advocate ][luH-uul]5. Two ccs to [Gp ][FOR ][br-vii"su'pp,-1iES, ][Hign ][c"ri.t ][for the state of ][Telangana ][at]Hyderabad. [OUTI]5. Two ccs to [Gp ][FOR ][br-vii"su'pp,-1iES, ][Hign ][c"ri.t ][for the state of ][Telangana ][at]Hyderabad. [OUTI]6Two CD Cotrries.BSKBSK\S[,GJP

HIGH COURT

DATED:291'1212023

ORDERWP.No.15695 of 2016

.,.:.,\\.:'-.";.-*/l./ [,-,]'i . [''\]7\t2i:, '1 [B ][;ri.ii ][-i:'r]-).4*

ALLOWING THE WRIT PETITIONWITHOUT C;OSTS

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