APHC010207732025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI (Special Original Jurisdiction) [3332] SATURDAY,THE THIRTY FIRST DAY OF JANUARY TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX PRESENT THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE RAVI CHEEMALAPATI WRIT PETITION NO: 10802/2025 Between: 1. CHITRAJU NAGA RAJU, S/O. PEDDA VENKATA RAJU, AGED ABOUT 56 YEARS, PERMANENT F.P SHOP DEALER OF F.P SHOP NO. 1136007, DOOR NO. 4/100, NARASIMHA RAJU PALLI, DINNEPADU VILLAGE, L.R. PALLI MANDAL, CUDDAPAH DISTRICT. ...PETITIONER AND 1. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REP. BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT, CIVIL SUPPLIES DEPARTMENT, SECRETARIAT BUILDINGS, VELAGAPUDI, GUNTUR DISTRICT. 2. THE DISTRICT COLLECTOR, Y.S.R DISTRICT, KADAPA. 3. THE REVENUE DIVISIONAL OFFICER, RAYACHOTI DIVISION, ANNAMAYYA DISTRICT, 4. THE TAHSILDAR, LAKKIREDDIPALLI MANDAL, ANNAMAYYA DISTRICT. 5. THE DEPUTY TAHSILDAR CIVIL SUPPLIES, LAKKIREDDIPALLI MANDAL, ANNAMAYYA DISTRICT. ...RESPONDENT(S): 2 Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed therewith, the High Court may be pleased to issue an appropriate Writ, Order or direction under Article 226 of constitution of India more particularly one in the nature of Writ of Mandamus declaring the action of the respondents in initiating the disciplinary proceedings and issuing the proceedings in Ref. No. C/246/2025, dated 10.04.2025 issued by the respondent No.3 as illegal arbitrary and violation of principles of natural justice and violative of fundamental rights guaranteed to me and consequently set aside the proceedings in Ref. No. C/246/2025, dated 10.04.2025 issued by the respondent No.3 and drop all further proceedings against me and reinstate me as the fair price shop and pass IA NO: 1 OF 2025 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 to direct the respondent No.3 to continue me as fair price shop dealer by suspending the proceedings in Ref. No. C/246/2025, dated 10.04.2025 issued by the respondent No.3, pending disposal of the above Writ Petition and pass Counsel for the Petitioner: 1. PAPUDIPPU SASHIDAR REDDY Counsel for the Respondent(S): 1. GP FOR CIVIL SUPPLIES The Court made the following: 3 ORDER: Questioning the proceedings dated 10.04.2025 issued by the 3rd respondent vide Ref.No.C/246/2025 suspending the petitioner’s authorization in respect of Fair Price Shop No.1136017, Narasimha Rajugaripalli, Dinnepadu Village, Lakkireddipalli Mandal, Annamayya District, the present writ petition is filed. 2. Heard Sri Papudippu Sashidhar Reddy, learned counsel for the petitioner and Sri Appasani Vineeth, learned Assistant Government Pleader for Civil Supplies. 3. Learned counsel for the petitioner while reiterating the contents of the writ affidavit would contend that the authorities, alleging variations in the PDS rice found during inspection of the Fair Price shop, issued show cause notice, for which the petitioner submitted explanation, however, the authorities, without considering the explanation, in a mechanical way, suspended the authorization of the petitioner without giving reasons in violation of the orders passed by this Court in K.Prabhavathi vs. State of A.P.1, therefore, the impugned suspension order is liable to be set aside. Accordingly, prayed to allow the writ petition. 4. Sri Appasani Vineeth, learned Assistant Government Pleader, justified the impugned order of suspension contending that as the authorities found variation in between PDS rice, suspended the Fair Price shop authorization of the petitioner, pending final enquiry, after following 1 2020(6) ALD 209 4 the procedure contemplated under law. He would further contend that the writ petition being meritless deserves dismissal. Accordingly, prayed to dismiss the writ petition. 5. Perused the material available on record and considered the submissions made by learned counsel for the parties. 6. The petitioner’s Fair Price shop dealership authorization was suspended pending enquiry. This Court vide orders dated 01.05.2025, suspended the impugned orders directing the respondents to continue the petitioner as Fair Price Shop Dealer. 7. Clause 8(4)(2) of the Andhra Pradesh Targeted Public Distribution System (Control) Order, 2018, mandates that the appointing authority shall dispose the disciplinary case filed against the fair price shop dealers as early as possible, preferably within a period of three (03) months from the date of filing, keeping in view of the convenience of the cardholders and for smooth functioning of Targeted Public Distribution System. 8. It is fairly conceded by the learned Assistant Government Pleader that enquiry had not been completed so far. 9. In view of the above, without going into the merits of the matter, this Court is inclined to dispose of the writ petition by passing the following order: 5 “The authorities shall conclude the enquiry at an earliest. Till conclusion of enquiry, the interim orders passed by this Court on 01.05.2025 shall continue.” 10. Accordingly, the Writ Petition is disposed of. There shall be no order as to costs. As a sequel, miscellaneous applications, pending if any, shall stand closed. _____________________________ JUSTICE RAVI CHEEMALAPATI Date: 31st January, 2026 RKS