(1.) The Petitioner, who is a retail kerosene dealer of Shop No. 4548, situated in Godavarikhani, Ramagundam Mandal, Karimnagar District, has filed this writ petition to declare the proceedings No. D/1604/2007, dated 19.06.2007 of the 2nd Respondent, viz., the Revenue Divisional Officer, Peddapalli, Karimnagar District, whereby the Petitioner was retained as a dealer to the extent of dealing in kerosene only, instead of appointing/converting him as a Fair Price Shop dealer with authorization to deal in all the commodities including kerosene, as illegal.
(2.) The Petitioner is an authorized retail kerosene dealer of shop No. 4548 of Godavarikhani. It is his case that he is entitled for conversion of his authorization as a Fair Price Shop dealer. He therefore made an application for conversion to the 2nd Respondent. The 2nd Respondent on consideration of the said application, relying on the circular dated 19.03.1995 issued by the Commissioner of Civil Supplies, granted authorization by order dated 9.01.2006 with a direction to the Mandal Revenue Officer, Ramagundam to allot all the essential commodities. The Petitioner was directed to submit certain documents to enable them to issue authorization. It is stated that in pursuance of the said order, the 3rd Respondent allotted all the essential commodities till September, 2006. Thereafter, when the supply was stopped, he filed W.P. No. 21717 of 2006 and pursuant to the interim order granted therein, he received the supplies till May 2007. Even though the grant was made, no authorization was issued to him. In the meanwhile, the 2nd Respondent passed the impugned order declining to recognize the Petitioner as Fair Price Shop dealer on the ground that he was not qualified for conversion since he was aged more than 40 years.
(3.) Heard Sri T. Mahender Rao, learned Counsel for the Petitioner and learned Government Pleader for Civil Supplies for the Respondents.