- 1 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:2777 WP No. 106605 of 2024 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, DHARWAD BENCH DATED THIS THE 12TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA WRIT PETITION NO. 106605 OF 2024 (GM-PDS) BETWEEN: SRI MAHADEV S/O SIDDAPPA SOMANATTI AGED ABOUT 50 YEARS OCC: NIL R/O BOLAKADABI, TALUK: SAVADATTI DIST: BELAGAVI – 591 126. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. SRINAND A.PACHHAPURE, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE GOVERNMENT OF KARNATAKA REP. BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND CIVIL SUPPLIES AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS, M.S.BUILDING VIDHANA SOUDHA, BENGALURU – 560 001. 2. THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND CIVIL SUPPLIES AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS, BELAGAVI DISTRICT: BELAGAVI – 590 001. 3. THE JOINT DIRECTOR DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND CIVIL SUPPLIES AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS, BELAGAVI DISTRICT: BELAGAVI – 590 001. Digitally signed by VISHAL NINGAPPA PATTIHAL Location: High Court of Karnataka, Dharwad Bench, Dharwad - 2 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:2777 WP No. 106605 of 2024 4. THE TAHASILDAR SAUNDATTI, TALUK: SAUNDATTI DISTRICT: BELAGAVI – 591 126. 5. SRI SHIVANAND S/O VITHAL DURGI AGED ABOUT 30 YEARS R/O GORAGUDDI, TALUK: SAUNDATTI DISTRICT: BELAGAVI – 591 126. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI SADIQ N.GOODWALA, ADVOCATE FOR R5; SRI SHARAD V.MAGADUM, AGA FOR R1 TO R4) THIS WP IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO ISSUE A WRIT IN THE NATURE OF CERTIORARI QUASHING THE ORDER BEARING NO. AAPOOVI/NYABEAM/VINIDI-81/2023-24 (PÀæ.D¥ÀÆ«/£Áå¨ÉCA/ «¤JE-81/2023-24) DATED. 27/10/2023 PASSED BY 3RD RESPONDENT MARKED AT ANNEXURE-D. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, THE COURT MADE THE FOLLOWING: CORAM: THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA ORAL ORDER The petitioner is before this Court calling in question an order dated 27.10.2023, passed by the third respondent and all further proceedings taken thereto. 2. Heard Sri Srinand A. Pachhapure, learned counsel for the petitioner, Sri Sharad V. Magadum, learned counsel for - 3 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:2777 WP No. 106605 of 2024 respondent Nos.1 to 4 and Sri Sadiq N. Goodwala, learned counsel for respondent No.5. 3. Facts in brief, germane, are as follows: On 15.09.2023, the third respondent – Joint Director calls for applications from all interested and eligible persons for allotment of new fair price shop in Bolakadabi Village, Savadatti taluk. The petitioner finding himself eligible submits an application for allotment for fair price shop. The third respondent rejects the application of the petitioner and allots in favour of the fifth respondent. Aggrieved by the allotment to fifth respondent, the petitioner prefers an appeal before the second respondent - appellate authority. The appellate authority did not grant any order of stay or considered the interlocutory application. Therefore, the petitioner was constrained to approach this Court in W.P.No.107728/2023. A co-ordinate bench of this Court grants an interim order of stay of the order rejecting the application on 19.12.2023 and by subsequent order dated 18.01.2024, another co-ordinate bench disposes the petition, directing the petitioner to prefer an appeal before the appellate authority and a direction to the - 4 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:2777 WP No. 106605 of 2024 appellate authority to consider the appeal within 30 days. The second respondent dismisses the appeal by an order dated 03.09.2024, confirming the rejection of the claim of the petitioner seeking allotment of the fair price shop. It is this order that has driven the petitioner to this Court in the subject petition. 4. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the order which rejects the application seeking authorization to run a fair price shop is contrary to law. It is his submission that respondents Nos.2 and 3 have ignored the fact that the fifth respondent is a permanent resident of Goraguddi village and the allotment takes place in Bolakadabi village. It is his submission that as per clause 6 of condition No.2(a) of the notification, a person will be allotted a fair price shop only if he produces a residence certificate. He therefore, seeks allotment in his favour. 5. Learned counsel for the fifth respondent - allottee now, contends that the fifth respondent is also a resident of Bolakadabi village and the disability, the petitioner suffers is on - 5 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:2777 WP No. 106605 of 2024 account of he is wanting to run the fair price shop in house, a residential premises. Only on these scores, they run contrary to the notification and therefore, the petition should be dismissed. 6. I have given my anxious consideration to the submissions made by the learned counsel for the respective parties and have perused the material on record. 7. To resolve the dispute between the parties, this Court directed an inspection to be conducted with regard to two aspects. One regarding residence of the fifth respondent and the other, regarding the place of the fair price shop that is wanting to run in the residence. The report of the inspection has emerged to be in favour of the petitioner. The report of the inspection is that, the fifth respondent is not a resident of Bolakadabi village but is a resident of Goraguddi village. Notification is issued not for allotting a fair price shop in Goraguddi village but in Bolakadabi village. The residence certificate of fifth respondent reads as follows: - 6 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:2777 WP No. 106605 of 2024 “gÀºÀªÁ¹ ¥ÀæªÀiÁt ¥ÀvÀæ PÀqÀ© UÁæªÀįÉPÁÌ¢üPÁjAiÀĪÀgÀÄ §gÀPÉÆqÀĪÀ ¥ÀæªÀiÁt ¥ÀvÀæ J£ÉAzÀgÉ - ²æà ²ªÁ£ÀAzÀ «oÀ×® zÀÄVð EªÀgÀÄ UÉÆgÀUÀÄ UÁæªÀÄzÀ SÁAiÀÄA gÀºÀªÁ¹ EgÀÄvÁÛgÉ, CAvÁ §gÀPÉÆlÖ ¥ÀæªÀiÁt ¥ÀvÀæ. (DºÁgÀ E¯ÁSÉ ¸À®ÄªÁV ªÀiÁvÀæ) vÁjÃRÄ: - 04/02/2005 ¸À»/- UÁæªÀįÉPÁÌ¢üPÁj.” (Emphasis added) Therefore, on the face of it, the fifth respondent is not eligible to allot a fair price shop as he is not from the village, which is indicated in the notification. The notification so issued makes it clear that one should be a resident. The conditions in the notification reads as follows: “£ÀA:D¥ÀÆ«/CzÀC/ºÉƸÀ£Áå¨ÉCA/«¤¢-8/2023-24 ¢£ÁAPÀ:15-09-2023 -::¥ÀwæPÁ ¥ÀæPÀluÉ::- ಷಯ: ೆಳ ಾ ೆ ಯ ಸವದ ಾಲೂ ನ ೋಳಕಡ ಾಮದ "ೇಷ ಪಕರಣ"ದ #ೊಸ $ಾ%ಯೆೆ ಅಂಗ ಮಂಜೂ* ಕು*ತು. G¯ÉèÃR:- 1) ¸ÀPÁðgÀzÀ DzÉñÀ ¸ÀA:J¸ï¦J¸ï17/Dgï¦Dgï2011(1) ¨ÉAUÀ¼ÀÆgÀÄ: ¢£ÁAPÀ: 10-06-2016 2) ಸ-ಾ.ರದ ಆ0ೇಶ ಸಂ2ೆ%:ಎ4 5ಎ6:17ಆ7.8ಆ7.2011 ¢:05-06-2017 3) ¸ÀPÁðgÀzÀ DzÉñÀ ¸ÀASÉå: J¥sï¹J¸ï:17:Dgï¦Dgï:2011(1) ¢£ÁAPÀ:21-05-2018., 4) ಸ-ಾ.ರದ ಸುೋೆ ಸಂ:ಎ45ಎ6 100 ಆ78ಆ7 2019 (E-D¦üøï) ¢:18-12- 2020., 5) ತಹ:ೕಾ;7, ಸವದ ಇವರ ಪತ ಸಂ2ೆ%:ಆ#ಾರ:#ೊ$ಾ=CA: «ªÀ:2022-23, ¢£ÁAPÀ:14-09-2023., 6) >ಾನ% ಆಯುಕರು,ಆ.$ಾ.ಸ.ಇ.ೆಂಗಳ?ರುರವರ ಪತ ಸಂ2ೆ%:5ಎ4ಎ6: JJA¹:Ln- 05:7:2020-21, ¢£ÁAPÀ:11-08-2021 - 7 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:2777 WP No. 106605 of 2024 **** ೆಳ ಾ ೆ ಯ ಸವದ ಾಲೂ ನ ೋಳಕಡ ಾಮದ ಸು>ಾರು ಅಂದ@ೆ, ಎಎªÉÊ-30, 8ಎAಎA-261 ಮತು ಎ8ಎB-10, Cೕ ೆ ಒಟುF 301 ಪತರ GೕHಗಳI ಲಭ%ರುತKೆ. ಸದ* ಾಮದ ಪತರ GೕH0ಾರರು ಸು>ಾರು 04 .Lೕ. ಅಂತರ ಕಡ ಾಮ-ೆM #ೋN ಪತರ ಆ#ಾರOಾನ% ಪPೆಯು0ಾ;@ೆ. ಾಮದ ವೃದR* ೆ ಮತು ಅಂಗಕಲ* ೆ #ಾಗೂ ಾಮದ ಪತರ GೕH0ಾರರ CತದೃSFTಂದ ೋಳಕಡ ಾಮದ "ೇಷ ಪಕರಣ"Kೆಂದು ಪ*ಗU5 #ೊಸ $ಾ%ಯೆೆ ಅಂಗ ೆ@ೆಯುವ ಕು*ತು ತಹ5ೕಾ;7 ಸವದ ಇವರು ಉೆ ೕಖ(5)ರ ಪXಾವ$ೆಯನು= ಸ 50ಾ;@ೆ. ಸದರ ಪXಾವ$ೆಯನು= ಪ*:ೕ5 ಮತು ಉೆ ೕಖ(6)ರ >ಾನ% ಆಯುಕರು, ಆ.$ಾ.ಸ.ಇ. ೆಂಗಳ?ರು ಇವರು ಪತದ "ಕಂ-ೆ-ಇ”ರ ಷರನಂೆ "ೇಷ ಪಕರಣ"ದ ೋಳಕಡ ಾಮದ #ೊಸ $ಾ%ಯೆೆ ಅಂಗ ಮಂಜೂ*ಸುವ ಕು*ತು ಪಕಟYೆಯನು= #ೊರಸುವZದು ಸೂಕKೆಂದು ಕಂಡುಬಂದ \ೕ@ೆ ೆ Xಾವ.ಜ]ಕ ಪಕಟYೆಯನು= #ೊರಸಾN0ೆ. xxx xxx xxx J) ಕಲ^ೇತನ ವ%ಗಳI: 1) ]ಗ_ತ ನಮೂ$ೆ 'ಎ' ರ ಅ. ಸ ಸುವZದು, ಕಲ^ೇತನರು ಎಂದು ಗುರುಸುವ ಬ ೆ` ":aಟ ಅಂಗKೈಕಲ%ದ ಗುರುನ GೕH" #ಾಗೂ Kೈದ%ೕಯ ಅ_-ಾ*ಗಳ ದೃcೕಕರಣ ಪ>ಾಣ ಪತ #ಾಜರುಪಸುವZದು ಮತು ಕಲ^ೇತನ ಪ>ಾಣ ಕ]ಷF 55% Mಂತ #ೆGd ೆ ಇರುವZದು ಕPಾಯKಾNರುತ0ೆ. 2) ಎ6.ಎ6.ಎB.5 eಾXಾದ ಬ ೆ` ಪ>ಾಣ ಪತ. 3) ಅಗತ% ವಸುಗಳ -ಾf;-1955ರ ಅಥKಾ hಾವZ0ೇ LನB ಪಕರಣ 0ಾಖಾNರುವZiಲ Kೆಂಬ ಬ ೆ` jೕ6 ಇಾ2ೆ ಪ>ಾಣ ಪತ ಸ ಸತಕMದು;. 4) ಆk.ಕKಾN ಸದೃಢೆಯ ಬ ೆ` ಆk.ಕ ಸದೃಢೆ ಬ ೆ` ಕ]ಷF ಾ%ಂm ಾ%ೆno pತವನು= #ೊಂiರುವ ಬ ೆ` 0ಾಖೆ ಸ ಸೇಕು. 5) ಅ.0ಾರರು $ಾ%ಯೆೆ ಅಂಗ ನPೆಸಲು ಕ]ಷq 2 ಂಗಳ ಪತರ 0ಾXಾನು >ಾಡಲು ಸrsಾವ-ಾಶರುವ ಕಟFಡವನು= #ೊಂiದ ಬ ೆ` ಅಥKಾ ಾ ೆ ಪPೆiರುವ ಬ ೆ` ಕ@ಾರು ಪತ #ಾಗೂ ಮt ೆಯ ಅಳೆಯ ಬ ೆ` 0ಾಖೆ ಸ ಸೇಕು. ಈ ಸrಳವZ ಪತರ GೕH0ಾರ* ೆ ಪPೆಯಲು ಅನುಕೂಲKಾಗುವಂತಹ ಸrಳKಾNರೇಕು. (ಮt ೆ vಾವGತ ಸCತ ಲಗಸುವZದು). 6) ¸ÀÜtೕಯ@ೆಂಬ ಬ ೆ` ರಹKಾ5 ಪ>ಾಣ ಪತ #ಾಜರಪಸತಕMದು;.” (Emphasis added) - 8 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:2777 WP No. 106605 of 2024 Clause 6 of Condition No.2(a) of the notification specifies that one should produce a residence certificate indicating that he is resident of the same village. Admittedly, the fifth respondent is not the resident of the village indicated in the notification. Therefore, the allotment runs counter to law on the aforesaid score. 8. The other ineligibility that is projected by the fifth respondent against the petitioner is, concerning the application of the petitioner. In the application, the petitioner indicates that his business premises would be his home premises. The fifth respondent is no different, he also states the same thing. Running of a fair price shop in the residential premises is prohibited, but it is not a defect that is not curable. 9. To this, learned counsel for the petitioner submits and undertakes that he would not run the fair price shop, if allotted, not in his home premises but would take a place on rent and his submission is recorded. - 9 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:2777 WP No. 106605 of 2024 10. In the light of the ineligibility of the fifth respondent and the eligibility of the petitioner, being the resident of the same village, the petition deserves to succeed. 11. In the light of the observations made hereinabove and the undertaking of the petitioner, the following: ORDER a. The writ petition is allowed. b. The impugned orders dated 27.10.2023 and 03.09.2024, passed by the third respondent and the second respondent, respectively, stand quashed. c. The official respondents are directed to allot the fair price shop in favour of the petitioner, if he fulfills all other conditions, except the two, considered in the course of the order. d. The said process of allotment in favour of the petitioner shall be done within 30 days, from the date of receipt of a copy of the order. - 10 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:2777 WP No. 106605 of 2024 e. Till such time, the allotment of the fifth respondent shall not be disturbed. __________SD/-__________ JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA nvj List No.: 1 Sl No.: 34 CT:SS