WP(C) 4467/2010 BEFORE THE HON’BLE MR JUSTICE B.P.KATAKEY Heard Mr S Baruah, learned counsel for petitioners, as well as Mrs HM Phukan, le arned state counsel appearing for the respondents. Grievance of the petitioners, in the present petition, is against the re duction of quota of SK oil allotted to them in pursuance of licences issued unde r provisions of Assam Public Distribution of Articles Order 1982(in short, 1982 Order). According to petitioners, though, initially, they had been allotted a mi nimum of 800-litres of SK oil per week, it has been slashed down just to 400-lit res per week in 1994 and then to 200-litres per week in 1999 and thence to 150-l itre per month. It is also the case of the petitioners that certain similarly-pl aced licence-holders/retailers had been allotted 800-litres of oil, thereby maki ng discrimination and treating those equally-placed persons differently. In the affidavit-in-opposition filed by respondent no.3 on behalf of the respondent no.2, it has been stated that SK oil is allotted to various licence- holders/retailers on basis of the monthly allotment made by the government of As sam, however giving more emphasis on the distribution in rural areas than the ur ban areas. Contention of petitioners relating to discrimination, however, has not b een specifically dealt with in the said affidavit. It is no doubt true that the quantity of SK oil to be allotted to the different licence-holders/retailers dep ends upon the oil allotted by government in a particular district. No fault can also be found in taking decision by the government for giving more emphasis on t he rural areas than urban areas. The authority cannot discriminate against simil arly-placed licence-holders/retailers, provided they are having equal number of consumers, whose need is to be catered. That being the position, this petition is disposed of directing the Depu ty Commissioner, Dibrugarh to look into the grievances of petitioners relating t o discrimination and pass speaking order after hearing the petitioners, as well as the officers of the food and civil supplies department. The same shall be don e within one month from the day when a copy of this order together with complete set of writ petition is filed by the petitioner before the said authority. The writ petition is accordingly disposed of. No costs.