A.RAMESHID Vs. STATE OF TELANGANA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Petitioners, mee seva service operators in Kosgi Town of Narayanpet District, assail the proceedings dated 09.07.2019 of the 3rd respondent - District Collector and Chairman, DeGS, Narayanpet, which granted a temporary mee seva Centre in favour of the 6th respondent in Kosgi Town. It is their case that a mee seva centre will be granted based on the density of population and the existing service providers in that area. The power to grant mee seva centre can be exercised only by the 4th respondent - Managing Director, Telangana State Technology Services Ltd (TSTS Ltd), as per the rules and regulations provided in the Guidelines and various Memoranda issued by the 1st respondent from time to time, namely, G.O.Ms.No.13, dated 26.08.2013, G.O.Ms.No.45 dated 09.10.2012, G.O.Ms.No.10 dated 18.10.2011. However, the 3rd respondent - District Collector and Chairman, who is not the Competent Authority, had granted a temporary mee seva centre in Kosgi Town in favour of 6th respondent, therefore, the impugned proceedings is not in accordance with the procedure contemplated in the above Government Orders.

(2.) The 3rd respondent - District Collector and Chairman, District e-Governance Society (DeGS) filed the counter-affidavit, inter alia, stating that due to speedy growth of households and population, the government had converted Kosgi Mandal, which comprises 28 villages and approximately 70,000 population, into municipality which has only seven mee-seva centers, out of which six centers are running in Mandal Headquarters and one at Gundumal Village; the services of six mee-seva centers located at town are being utilized by common public of 22 villages of Kosgi Town having 58,000 population. It is also stated, he, being the Head of DeGS programme at the District Level, a duty is cast on him under the guidelines in G.O.Ms.No.45 dated 09.10.2012 and Government Memo No.1467/ITe&C/Mee-seva/2016 dated 28.12.2016, to identify any village, based on the criteria of population, proximity or public convenience and also the demand of work, and accordingly sanction the franchisees based on the request from public willing to open new franchise or public representatives, for providing better citizen services. It is further stated that due to the increase in population in Kosgi Town, which is around 70,091 as per 2019 census, as against 62221 as per 2011 estimates (i.e., about 1.5% increase per annum), the actual required mee seva centres at Kosgi Mandal are 14, however, seven centers are working at present. It is further stated that in view of the on-going important works such as Aadhar card linking with Ryth pass books, Voter ID, payments to be made to government, issuing of certificates and the ensuing elections to Municipalities, complaints were received from the public with regard to inconvenience and difficulty being faced by them in availing the services as the existing mee seva centers in Kosgi are less and the workload is heavy.

(3.) The 6th respondent also filed a counter affidavit denying the allegations and stating that the petitioners have no vested right to stall the establishment of either temporary or permanent mee seva centre, therefore, no writ of mandamus can be granted in favour of the petitioners.