HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR (single Judge, Amitendra Kishore Prasad, J.), WPC No. 1056 of 2023, decided 27.07.2026 (NAFR; neutral citation 2026:CGHC:31970). Three registered societies operating fair price shops at Durg — Shankar Nagar Paschim Ward No.10 (Shop No.431001015), Polesai Para Ward No.27 (Shop No.431001032) and Kela Badi Ward No.41 (Shop No.431001051) — continuously since 2005 under the Public Distribution System, challenged an advertisement dated 30.01.2023 (Annexure P-1) issued by respondent No.4 inviting applications for fresh allotment of those very fair price shops, alleging that it amounted to cancellation of their existing allotments without prior notice or opportunity of hearing, and prayed for quashing of the advertisement and continuation of their allotted shops. The State replied that the petitioners' shops had not been cancelled and continued to operate; the advertisement was issued under the rationalization policy framed under Rule 8(a) of the Chhattisgarh Public Distribution System (Control) Order, 2016 for establishment of additional fair price shops in wards where attached ration cards exceed the prescribed limit; the shop numbers were mentioned only to identify locations of the newly proposed shops, with separate shop IDs to be generated and eligible ration cards redistributed thereafter. HOLDING: the allotments of the petitioners' fair price shops have not been cancelled; the impugned advertisement merely contemplates establishment of new fair price shops under the rationalization scheme in the concerned wards where attached ration cards exceed the prescribed limit. With these observations, the petition stood disposed of; no quashing relief was granted and no costs or quantum awarded.
