GEETHA Vs. STATE OF KERALA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner, who is a dealer in LPG appointed by the 5th respondent-Indian Oil Corporation Ltd., has filed this writ petition seeking the following reliefs:-

(2.) The petitioner states that she belongs to Scheduled Caste and was awarded distributorship of LPG agency under the Rajiv Gandhi LPG Vitrak Scheme under Scheduled Caste category in the year 2012. The petitioner has about 6000 active customers and her business was rated as "Excellent". Rival distributors, having jealousy to the petitioner, made complaints. The 3 rd respondent inspected the business premises and godown on 02.06.2020. An inspection report was drafted stating that there is difference in the physical stock and the stock as per records, the petitioner has been collecting excess price, behaving to the customers without decency, not supplying LPG to the customers, not providing hand sanitizer, hand wash and water in front of the showroom, etc.

(3.) On the basis of the said inspection report, the 2 nd respondent passed Ext.P3 order dated 02.06.2020, suspending the license granted to the petitioner and diverting her customers to another nearby gas agency. The petitioner submitted Ext.P4 representation against Ext.P3 order of suspension. The 2 nd respondent issued Ext.P6 show-cause notice dated 06.07.2020, without considering Ext.P4 representation. The petitioner submitted a detailed reply to the show-cause as per Ext.P7 on 13.07.2020, denying the allegations and thereafter approached this Court. The petitioner impugns Exts.P3 and P6 on various grounds, including the authority and competency of the 2 nd respondent to cancel the licence given to the petitioner.