JUDGEMENT
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(1.)THE petitioner, being aggrieved by the order dated 17th March. 2008 Annexure P/1) passed by the Additional Collector, Ambikapur, whereby the
allotment of fair price shop to the petitioner was cancelled, has filed this petition.
(2.)ALLOTMENT of fair price shop, cancellation, renewal, appeal are governed under the provisions of Chhattisgarh Public Distribution System (Control) Order.
2004 (for short 'the Order, 2004'). The control order was passed by the State Government in exercise of its power under section 3 of the Essential Commodities
Act 1955. The distribution of essential commodities requires expediency and proper
functioning. Accordingly, an appellate provision has been made under clause 18
of the Order, 2004. In the event, if the allotee of fair price shop is aggrieved by any
order, an appeal can be made to the Collector/Additional Collector within a period
of 30 days. If the order is passed by the Additional Collector/Collector, an appeal
is maintainable to the State Government. The present impugned order is passed
by the Additional Collector, thus, the appropriate remedy available to the petitioner
is filing of statutory appeal before the State Government. The remedy is effective
and efficacious.
Without resorting to the statutory forum, the petitioner has rushed to this Court on the ground that since no notice was given, it is not necessary to take
recourse to statutory alternative forum. Since the grievance of the petitioner can
be redressed by the appellate forum expeditiously and efficiently, this petition is
not maintainable under Article 226 of the Constitution of India on the ground of
availability of alternative statutory remedy.
(3.)IT is trite a law that a departure from general rule may be made only in exceptional cases. This is not an exceptional or special case wherein departure
from normal rule i.e. taking recourse to alternative statutory forum, be made. There
is no reason to entertain this petition directly when the petitioner has not exhausted
all the statutory appellate remedy available to him.
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