E.K.JOJU Vs. STATE OF KERALA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner is aggrieved by Ext.P3 order by which his application for renewal of licence for sale of fireworks, crackers and sparklers was rejected on the ground that C.C.No.1736/2016, is pending against him and stating that he would be free to submit application as and when a judgment was rendered in the said case in his favour.

(2.) According to the petitioner, there is no provision for refusing renewal of licence on the ground that a crime is registered or is pending against the licensee. Pointing out Rule 118(2) of the Explosives Rules, Smt.Sanjana R. Nair, the learned counsel for the petitioner argued that it is only on conviction and sentence under a criminal offence that an application for renewal of license can be rejected.

(3.) She also argued that the crime case, which is referred to in the order Ext.P3, is of the year 2016; but the respondents had not taken any action against him till the licence expired on 31.03.2019.