SHARAD RAMARAO SONUNE Vs. STATE OF MAHARASHTRA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE petitioner was a semi-wholesale kerosene dealer running business under licence No. 18 of 1982. It is the case of the petitioner that somewhere in the year 1994 the renewal of the licence could not be obtained as the application for renewal was moved belatedly to the office of the Collector with the result, right from the year 1994 till 2004, the licence was not in force.

(2.) THE petitioner submits that, being aggrieved and dissatisfied by the above action refusing to renew licence by the District Supply Officer, jalna, the petitioner approached the then Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection, Mantralaya, Mumbai, under the provisions of the Maharashtra Kerosene Licensing Dealers Order, 1966. He submits that the said approach was by invoking revision or review power of the State government which was pleased to allow revision vide order dated 13/8/2004. Accordingly, the petitioner submits, his licence came to be renewed and necessary quota of kerosene in pursuance thereof came to be allotted in favour of the petitioner.

(3.) IT appears that due to certain objections received by the State government with respect to number of similar matters, the State government appears to have decided to (sue motu) revise or review entire orders granting licences and/or renewing the licences of various licensees. Pending review or revision the State Government appears to have stayed the operation of all such orders by which the licences were either granted or renewed. One of such order dated 18/12/2004 is a subject matter of challenge in this petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India.