K SUBBA REDDY Vs. GOVERNMENT OF ANDHRA PRADESH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner was appointed permanently in the year 1981 as fair price shop dealer in respect of Dupadu village, Tripurantakam Mandal, Prakasam district. The Government issued G.O.Rt.No.951, Food and Agriculture (CS. II) Department, dated 16-5-1988 laying down guidelines for selection and appointment of fair price shop dealers. Paragraph 8(1) of the Guidelines is in the following terms:

(2.) By virtue of the aforesaid memorandum, the Mandal Revenue Officer served an order on the petitioner on 18-7-1988 informing him that as he was elected as Sarpanch of the Gram Panchayat, supply of essential commodities for distribution through him had been stopped. Challenging the same, the present writ petition was filed.

(3.) Shri Ravindra Reddy, learned counsel for the petitioner, contends that guideline 8(1) of G.O.Rt. No. 951 dt. 16-5-1988 renders ineligible persons holding public offices specified therein from being appointed as fair price shop dealers. But that embargo, submits the learned counsel, wo'uld not stand in the way of the petitioner who was continuing as a fair price shop dealer. He also says that the Government Memorandum dt.12-7-1988 advises the authorities not to renew the authorisations of fair price shop dealers of those individuals who subsequently have been elected to the public offices specified in the guideline referred to above.