Shankar Kumar Ram v. The State Of Bihar and Ors.

Patna HC23 Jul 2025CWJC/15168/2018

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Alternative remedy; writ disposed; Bihar Targeted Public Distribution System (Control) Order 2016; Section 32(iii) appeal; Section 32(v) appellate stay; Section 32(vi) revision; Divisional Commissioner; District Magistrate cannot review own orders as head of Selection Committee; PDS dealership; SC category reservation; Itwashivnagar Gram Panchayat, Biraul, Darbhanga; condonation of delay; Section 5 Limitation Act; representation within one month; disposal within three months; CWJC No.15168 of 2018; Patna High Court; G. Anupama Chakravarthy.

What did the court decide?

Writ petition disposed of with a direction to the petitioner to file a representation before the concerned authority within one month; the delay in filing to be condoned; the authority to dispose of the representation within three months from filing. ¶¶41

Shankar Kumar Ram Vs The State Of Bihar and Ors. — Patna HC (2025) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

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Issue for consideration

Whether the writ petition seeking quashing of respondent no. 6's selection to the SC-category reserved PDS dealership at Itwashivnagar Gram Panchayat, Biraul block, Darbhanga, should be entertained despite the petitioner having an alternative remedy under the Bihar Targeted Public Distribution System (Control) Order, 2016. +1 more

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Court's answer

Since the District Magistrate is the head of the Selection Committee, he cannot review his own orders in an appeal; therefore the petitioner is directed to file a complaint/application before the Divisional Commissioner.

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Ratio / Principle

The petitioner has an alternative remedy under the Bihar Targeted Public Distribution System (Control) Order, 2016; taking this into consideration, the writ petition is disposed of with a direction to the petitioner to file a representation before the concerned authority within one month from receipt of the order.

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Key takeaways

The delay in filing the representation shall be condoned by the authority concerned, and the authority shall dispose of the representation within three months from the date of its filing.ratio¶¶40

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Patna High Court (G. Anupama Chakravarthy, J) disposed of a writ petition (CWJC No.15168 of 2018) by Shankar Kumar Ram challenging the selection of respondent no. 6 to the PDS dealership at Itwashivnagar Gram Panchayat, Biraul block, Darbhanga, reserved for SC-category candidates. Relying on Sections 32(iii), 32(v) and 32(vi) of the Bihar Targeted Public Distribution System (Control) Order, 2016 (appeal to the District Officer/District Magistrate; revision before the Divisional Commissioner), the court held that the petitioner had an adequate alternative remedy. Since the District Magistrate, being head of the District Selection Committee, cannot review his own orders in appeal, the petitioner was directed to file a complaint/application before the Divisional Commissioner. As the limitation period for a representation had lapsed, the petition was disposed of with a direction to file a representation within one month, the delay to be condoned and the representation to be disposed of within three months, in line with the petitioner's invocation of Section 5 of the Limitation Act. Interlocutory application(s), if any, stood disposed of.

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA Civil Writ Jurisdiction Case No.15168 of 2018

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Shankar Kumar Ram S/o Soman Ram, r/o Village- Itwashivnagar, P.S.Biraul, District- Darbhanga.

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... ... Petitioner/s

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Versus

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The State Of Bihar through Principal Secretary, Food and Civil Supplies Department, Bihar, Patna

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The District Magistrate, Darbhanga-cum-Chairman, District Selection Committee, Darbhanga.

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The District Supply Officer, Darbhanga-cum-Secretary, District Selection Committee, Darbhanga.

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The Sub-Divisional Officer, Biraul, Darbhanga.

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The Assistant District Supply Officer, Sadar, Darbhanga.

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Shrawan Kumar Paswan, S/o Shirnandan Paswan, R/o Village- Kumarganj, P.S. Biraul, District- Darbhanga.

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... ... Respondent/s

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====================================================== Appearance : For the Petitioner/s : Mr.Sanjeev Kumar Singh For the Res. No. 6 : Mr.Ratan Kumar For the Respondent/s : Mr.S.Raza Ahmed -AAG-5

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======================================================

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CORAM: HONOURABLE JUSTICE SMT. G. ANUPAMA CHAKRAVARTHY

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ORAL JUDGMENT

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Date : 23-07-2025

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The writ petition is filed for the following reliefs:

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(i) For issuance of a writ of certiorari quashing the selection of respondent no. 6 against the PDS Delearship at Itwashivnagar Gram Panchayat under Biraul Block in the district of Darbhanga as dealership was reserved for SC Category Candidate.

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Patna High Court CWJC No.15168 of 2018 dt.23-07-2025 2/5

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(ii) To direct the respondent authorities to make selection of the petitioner who is placed at first position in the merit list of SC Category candidate

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(iii) For any other relief/reliefs for which the petitioner may found to be entitled in the facts and circumstances of the case.

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At this juncture, the Learned counsel for the respondents contended that Section 32(iii) of the Bihar Targeted Public Distribution System (Control) Order, 2016 provides for the provision of appeal and Section 32(vi) of the Bihar Targeted Public Distribution System (Control) Order, 2016 provides for the provision of revision. Section 32(iii) 32(v) and 32(vi) read as follows:

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32 (iii). Any person aggrieved by

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an order of the licensing authority denying the issue or renewal of the license to the fair price shop owner or cancellation of the license may appeal to the District Officer within thirty days of the date of receipt of the order and the District Magistrate shall, as far as

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Patna High Court CWJC No.15168 of 2018 dt.23-07-2025 3/5

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practicable, dispose the appeal within a period of sixty days.

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32. (v) Till the disposal of appeal

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pending, the Appellate Authority may direct that the order under appeal shall not take effect for such period as the authority may consider necessary for giving a reasonable opportunity to the other party under sub-clause (4) or until the appeal is disposed of, whichever is earlier.

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(vi) Due to non disposal of the appeal within sixty days by the District Officer or against the order passed in the appeal, a revision may be filed before the Divisional Commissioner. The revision shall be disposed of within two months.

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Admittedly, from the reliefs prayed for in the writ petition, it is evident that the petitioner has an alternative remedy under the provisions of Bihar

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Patna High Court CWJC No.15168 of 2018 dt.23-07-2025 4/5

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Targeted Public Distribution System (Control) Order, 2016.

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The remedy available under the Act is to prefer an appeal before the District Magistrate. As the District Magistrate is the head of the Selection Committee he cannot review his orders in an appeal. Therefore, the petitioner is directed to file a complaint/application before the Divisional Commissioner.

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The Learned counsel for the petitioner contended that he intends to file a representation before the concerned authority, but the limitation period for filing the same has lapsed. He prayed for a direction to the concerned authority to entertain the same in accordance with Section 5 of the Limitation Act.

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Taking into consideration that the petitioner has an alternative remedy for filing representation, the writ petition is disposed of with a direction to the petitioner to file representation within one month from the date of receipt of this order before the concerned authority. The delay in

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Patna High Court CWJC No.15168 of 2018 dt.23-07-2025 5/5

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filing the representation shall be condoned by the authority concerned, and the authority shall dispose of the same within three months from the date of filing of the same.

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With the above said observations, the Writ petition shall stand disposed off.

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Interlocutory Application(s), if any, shall stand disposed off.

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(G. Anupama Chakravarthy, J)

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vinita/-

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AFR/NAFR	NAFR
CAV DATE	NA
Uploading Date	28.07.2025
Transmission Date

Shankar Kumar Ram v. The State Of Bihar and Ors.

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

Shankar Kumar Ram v. The State Of Bihar and Ors.

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

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What the court decided

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