MOHD MUNEWER Vs. STATE OF KARNATAKA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) ACCORDING to the petitioners they are permanent residents of bangalore holding ration cards enabling them to obtain essential commodities from the Fair Price Shop. One of such ration card has been annexed to the writ petition as Annexure-'b' which pertains to the first petitioner. They are aggrieved by the notices annexure-'a' and 'a-1', dated 28-10-1996 issued by the Deputy director (East), whereby some of the card holders including the petitioners have been required to appear before him on the date and time mentioned therein for verification of their ration cards, in the manner mentioned in the notice, since he has reason to believe that the ration cards issued in the name of the petitioners are "bogus Ration Cards" within the meaning of sub-clause (2) of Clause 2 of Karnataka (Prevention of unauthorised Possession of Ration Cards) Order, 1977 (hereinafter in short 'the Order' only ).

(2.) THE impugned notice Annexure-'a' as translated in English reads as under: government OF KARNATAKA no. : sd (e) ra: 62 of 1996-97 28-10-1996 DT. PUBLICATION OF NOTICE TO THE RATION CARD holders sub: Regarding the suspected to be bogus ration cards in a doubtful manner in the inspection as per the guidelines of the Commissioner for Food and Civil Supplies, Bangalore on 28-9-1996. Ref: The Commissioner for Food and Civil Supplies, Bangalore, in his letter No. INR:dra: (E) 41 of 1996-97, dated 17-10-1996. * * * the Shop No. 518 in Division No. 68 which comes under the limits of East Range, the ration cards have been verified and inspected under the guidelines of the commissioner of Food and Civil Supplies, Bangalore, the following cards as per the enclosed list, are suspected and treated to be bogus ration cards and if the valid cards, whose photo is affixed to appear personally in person, in the office of the Deputy Director of Food and Civil supplies, St. Johns Road, Shivanachatti Garden, shivajinagar, Bangalore 42 during the time between 3. 00 p. m. to 5. 00 p. m. and put their signatures in the Register book concern, without any fine or any stamp fee, etc. , will get your ration food grains and in this regard if the owners of the Fair Price Shop, is not co-operating with you, you may inform. this office by personally or by telephone-560750 accordingly this publication issued, it is requested the public may kindly co-operate with the Department for inconvenience, if any, and in view of the public interest this action is being taken. sd/-Deputy Director of Food and Civil supplies (East, Bangalore)".

(3.) THE petitioners are questioning the validity of the notice at Annexure-'a' on the ground that under the provisions of the order no such procedure is contemplated for detecting Bogus ration Cards and therefore the action of the respondent is unauthorised and illegal.