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IN THE HIGH COURT OF BENCH

DATED THIS THE 14 th DAY OF JANUARY, 2016

BEFORE

THE HON’BLE MR.JUSTICE B.VEERAPPA

WRIT PETITION NOs.113289-291/2015 (GM-PDS)

BETWEEN:

1. MUTHA WAGMAL BHURAJI R/O:PLOT NO.162, BASAVESHWAR APMC YARD, AMARAGOL, HUBBALLI-35. REP BY ITS PARTNER SRI.GOUTAM WAGMAL BAFANA AGE:42 YEARS, OCC:PARTNER R/O:PLOT NO.162, APMC YARD, AMARAGOL, HUBBALLI-35.

2. M/S R.M.PRABHU & CO. R/O:PLOT NO.135, APMC YARD, AMARAGOL, HUBBALLI-35 REP BY ITS PARTNER SRI.KRISHNAKANTH RAMANATH PRABHU AGE:52 YEARS, OCC:PARTNER R/O:PLOT NO.162, APMC YARD, NAVANAGAR, HUBBALLI-35.

3. SRI.PADMAVATI TRADERS & GENERAL MERCHANTS R/O:P-174, APMC YARD, AMARAGOL HUBBALLI-35. : 2 :

REP. BY ITS PROPRIETOR SRI.DEEPAK S/O SHANTILAL MUTHA AGE: 32 YEARS, OCC: PROPRIETOR R/O:P-174, APMC YARD, AMARAGOL HUBBALLI-35. ... PETITIONERS (BY SRI. MAHESH WODEYAR, ADVOCATE)

AND:

1. STATE OF KARNATAKA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD, CIVIL SUPPLY AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS, GROUND FLOOR, VIKAS SOUDHA, BENGALURU-560001 REP. BY ITS SECRETARY.

2. DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF FOOD & CIVIL SUPPLY , DHARWAD.

3. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER DHARWAD. ... RESPONDENTS (BY SMT. K. VIDYAVATHI, AGA FOR R1 TO R3)

THESE WRIT PETITIONS ARE FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF PRAYING TO I. QUASH THE IMPUGNED NOTIFICATION DATED:17.10.2015 ISSUED BY THE RESPONDENT NO.1 VIDE ANNEXURE-C AND DECLARE THAT IT IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND II. QUASH THE IMPUGNED ORDER DATED:02.11.2015, PASSED BY RESPONDENT NO.3 VIDE ANNEXURE-L AND IMPUGNED ORDER DATED:02.11.2015 PASSED BY THE RESPONDENT NO.3 VIDE ANNEXURE-L1 AND ETC. : 3 :

THESE PETITIONS COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING IN ‘B’ GROUP THIS DAY, THE COURT MADE THE FOLLOWING:

ORDER

The petitioners filed the above writ petitions to quash the impugned notification dated 17.10.2015 and the order dated

02.11.2015 as per Annexures C, L and L1 and for a writ of mandamus to the 2 nd respondent to issue licence to the petitioners in pursuance of the applications dated 30.10.2015 as per

Annexures E to G and also for writ of mandamus directing the respondents to restore the pulses seized from the petitioners.

2. It is the case of the petitioners that all the petitioners are carrying on wholesale business in pulses and food grains under the licence issued by the appropriate authorities. The petitioners have also registered under Central Sales Tax Act and under the

Karnataka VAT Act. The petitioners are carrying on the wholesale business in pulses and food grains without contravening the provisions of the Karnataka Essential Commodities Control : 4 :

Order, 1986 and they have not violated any of the Rules and

Regulations.

3. It is the further case of the petitioners that, the State

Government by the Government Order dated 20.04.1981, issued the Karnataka Essential Commodities (Maintenance of Accounts,

Display, of prices and stock) Order 1981, in which clause 5 requires maintenance of accounts in the form approved by the

Director of Food and Civil Supplies in Karnataka. Thereafter, the

Government issued another Government Order dated

31.10.1986. In the said notification, the pulses are within the ambit of ‘essential commodity’. The respondent No.3, without issuing any notice and without giving an opportunity of hearing to the petitioners, had passed the impugned orders, for seizure of pulses and to auction the same in public. Therefore, the petitioners are before this Court.

4. I have heard the learned Counsel for the parties to the lis. : 5 :

5. Sri. Mahesh Wodeyar, the learned Counsel for the petitioners, contended that the impugned orders passed by the authorities as per Annexures – C, L and L1 are illegal and contrary to law. The notification issued by the respondents is unconstitutional and in violation of the fundamental rights granted to the petitioners under the Constitution. He also contended that the impugned orders are passed by the authorities, without giving any notice and without giving an opportunity of hearing to the petitioners. Therefore, he sought to allow the writ petitions.

6. Per contra, Smt. K. Vidyavathi, learned AGA, resisted the leave sought for by the petitioners.

7. I have given my thoughtful consideration to the arguments advanced by the learned Counsel for the parties and perused the entire material on record. : 6 :

8. This Court by an interim order dated 09.11.2015, restrained the respondents from auctioning the essential commodities seized as per Annexures – L and L1.

9. It is an undisputed fact that all these petitioners are dealers and traders of pulses and food grains. By virtue of the amended provisions of the Karnataka Essential Commodities

Control Order, 1986, they have obtained the licence. Earlier to the impugned notification, it was not mandatory for the traders for doing business of pulses and food grains, but it is made mandatory in pursuance of the Government order passed. It is also not in dispute that, in identical circumstances, this Court on

23.11.2015, in W.P.No.48660-663/2015 and connected matters, in the case of Asha Trading Company and Others , allowed the writ petitions and quashed the impugned annexures made therein insofar as the action of the respondents, and directed the respondents to release the seized commodities/food grains/pulses reserving liberty to the respondents to take action only in accordance with law thereafter. : 7 :

10. In view of the aforesaid reasons and the law declared by this Court in identical circumstances stated above, the writ petitions are allowed. The impugned annexures stand quashed, in so far as the action taken by the respondents, holding that it is illegal and accordingly, directed the respondents to release the food grains/pulses to the petitioners with liberty to the respondents-State to take action in accordance with law henceforth.

All the contentions of the parties are left open.

Sd/- JUDGE gab