PRADEEP KUMAR PRADHAN Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Challenging unilateral decision of merger of Bhubaneswar Regional Office of the Central Warehousing Corporation with that of Patna Regional Office w.e.f. 15.08.2019, as per office order dated 26.07.2019 at Annexure-1, the petitioner has filed this writ petition in the nature of public interest litigation invoking extraordinary jurisdiction of this Court to quash such decision and allow the Bhubaneswar Regional Office of Central Warehousing Corporation to continue as before.

(2.) The factual matrix of the case, in hand, is that the Central Warehousing Corporation was established on 02.03.1957 under the Agricultural Produce (Development and Warehousing) Corporation Act, 1956 and commenced its operation since July, 1957. The old Act was repealed and replaced by Warehousing Corporation Act, 1962. The main object of the Corporation is to provide scientific storage facilities for agricultural inputs and other notified commodities, besides providing logistic infrastructure. The Central Warehousing Corporation is an ISO certified Schedule-A Mini Ratna Category-I Central Public Sector Enterprises and Corporation of the Central Government.

(3.) Mr. J. Patnaik, learned counsel appearing for the petitioner strenuously urged that the unilateral decision taken with regard to merger of Bhubaneswar Warehousing Corporation with that of Patna Warehousing Corporation is an outcome of non-application of mind. Though the petitioner moved the Managing Director, Central Warehousing Corporation, opposite party no.2 by way of filing a representation on 08.08.2019, with a copy to the Secretary, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi, requesting to review the said decision or to cancel the office order dated 26.07.2019, but no action has been taken as yet. It is further contended that such unilateral action of the opposite parties is detrimental to the interest of the people of the State. It is further contended that on the basis of the knowledge gathered from the article published on 06.08.2019 in the Odia daily newspaper "Prameya", the petitioner has approached this Court by way of filing this writ petition ventilating the hardship of the people of the State.