Dinesh Prasad Choudhary v. The State Of Bihar

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA

Civil Writ Jurisdiction Case No.9119 of 2023 ====================================================== Dinesh Prasad Choudhary S/o Late Mishrilal Choudhary, Public Distribution Dealer Panchayat Maidapur(Sharfuddinpur), P.S. and Block- Bochaha, District- Muzaffarpur.

... ... Petitioner/s

Versus

1.

The State of Bihar Through its Principal Secretary food and civil supply department Govt. of Bihar, Patna.

2.

The Sub Divisional Magistrate, East Muzaffarpur, P.S.- Nagar, DistrictMuzaffarpur. 3.

Assistant Collector-cum-Block Development Officer, Bochaha, DistrictMuzaffarpur. 4.

The Block Supply Officer, Bochaha, District Muzaffarpur. ... ... Respondent/s ====================================================== Appearance :

For the Petitioner/s :

Mr. Shankar Kishore Shahi, Advocate.

For the Respondent/s :

Mr. U.P. Singh, AC to SC-4 ====================================================== CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE A. ABHISHEK REDDY ORAL ORDER 25-09-2023 Heard learned counsel for the parties.

2. The present Writ Petition has been filled for the following reliefs:- ".............for issuance of a writ in the A nature of certiorari for quashing order vide memo no. 489 dt. 15.04.2023 passed by the learned Sub Divisional Magistrate, East, Muzaffarpur. Whereby and where under the license of the petitioner's P.D.S. Shop has been cancelled without applying his judicial mind, without considering the reply of show cause, without enquiry the solemnly affirmation of the consumers, without verifying the death of the consumer namely Sudama Devi who has died 2 years ago and without verifying

2/6 the fact and circumstances impugned order has passed. It violates the principles of natural justice.

It is further prayed to direct the respondent no. 2 Sub Divisional Magistrate, East, Muzaffarpur to restore the P.D.S.

license of the petitioner and to allot the monthly allotment in favour of the petitioner."

3. Learned counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioner has stated that the impugned order dated 15.04.2023 in Memo No. 489 passed by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate i.e. Respondent No. 2 is liable to be set aside as the same is against the principles of natural justice and equity. Learned counsel has stated that though the petitioner has submitted a detailed explanation to the show cause notice, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate has not considered the said explanation and passed the orders in a mechanical manner. Learned counsel has stated that one of the consumers who is stated to have made a complaint against the petitioner died nearly two years back, but the said fact has not been considered by the authority concerned. That the explanation submitted by the petitioner has not been adverted to by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate in his order. Learned counsel has, therefore, prayed this Court to set aside the impugned order and remand the matter back to the SubDivisional Magistrate for passing orders afresh duly taking into consideration the explanation submitted by the petitioner.

3/6

4. Per contra the learned counsel for the respondents has vehemently opposed the very maintainability of the present Writ Petition and stated that the petitioner has an alternative and efficacious remedy of filing an appeal before the District Magistrate. Learned counsel has stated that the orders passed by the Sub-Divisional Officer is well reasoned order and does not require any interference of this Court and prayed to dismiss the present Writ Petition.

5. A perusal of the order passed by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate shows that the Sub-Divisional Magistrate while passing the orders has not adverted to the explanation submitted by the petitioner. Even though the petitioner has given a detailed explanation to the show cause notice, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate has not discussed the explanation submitted by the petitioner and passed the orders in a mechanical manner. One of the contentions raised by the petitioner in his explanation to the show cause that one of the alleged complainants died two years back has not been adverted by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate. This Court in a catena of cases, has held that any order that is passed has to contain the reasons for passing the said orders. Unless and until the reasons are given in the impugned order the superior authority or the Court will not be in a position to

4/6 appreciate the order passed and the reason for the order being passed. In absence of any reasons in the order, it would be very difficult to either sustain or set aside the said order. Any order which is not speaking order cannot be sustained in the eye of law and the same has to be necessarily set aside.

6. This Court as well as the Apex Court, on number of occasions. have held that any authority Court/quasi judicial authority have to necessarily give reasoning in the order passed by them. Unless reasoning is given in the order, neither the party nor Courts before whom the order is challenged will be in a position to appreciate as to what has weighed with the said authority either for dismissing or allowing the application of the petitioner. Though the quasi judicial or administrative authority are not obligated to give a lengthy or elaborate reasoning as in the case of Judicial order, yet they are expected to give a reasoned order which should be precise, concisely setting out the reason for allowing or dismissing the contention/application/case.

7. In Assistant Commissioner, Commercial Tax Department, Works Contract and Leasing, Kota vs. Shukla and Brothers, reported in (2010) 4 SCC, 785, the Hon'ble Supreme Court has held as under:

5/6 ".................. while exercising the power of judicial review on administrative action and more particularly the judgment of courts in appeal before the higher court, providing of reasons can never be dispensed with. The doctrine of audi alteram partem has three basic essentials. Firstly: a person against whom an order is required to be passed or whose rights are likely to be affected adversely must be granted an opportunity of being heard Secondly, the authority concerned should provide a fair and transparent procedure and lastly, the authority concerned must apply its mind and dispose of the matter by a reasoned or speaking order........"

"........A litigant who approaches the court with any grievance in accordance with law is entitled to know the reasons for grant or rejection of his prayer Reasons are the soul of orders Non- recording of reasons could lead to dual infirmities: Firstly, it may cause prejudice to the affected party and secondly, more particularly, hamper the proper administration of justice. These principles are not only applicable to administrative or executive actions, but they apply with equal force and, in fact, with a greater degree of precision to judicial pronouncements. The orders of the court must reflect what weighed with the court in granting or declining the relief claimed by the applicant."

8. Having regard to the above mentioned facts and circumstances, the impugned order dated 15.04.2023 passed by the Sub-Division Magistrate i.e. Respondent No. 2 is set aside

6/6 and the matter is remanded back to the Sub-Divisional Magistrate for passing orders afresh. The Sub-Divisional Officer shall pass a reasoned order duly taking into account the various contentions raised by the petitioner in his explanation.

9. It is needless to mention that before passing any order the petitioner shall be put on notice and given an opportunity of hearing. The entire exercise shall be completed as expeditiously as possible preferably within a period of eight weeks from the date of receipt of the copy of this order. Any order passed shall be communicated to the party.

10. Accordingly, the present Writ Petition stands allowed to the extent indicated.

(A. Abhishek Reddy , J) shakir/- U