f HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR Writ Petition (C} No. 6763 of 2008 PETITIONERS : 1. 8hivlalS/oBakhariya,agedabout58years,R/oviUage Changurda, Tahsil Khairagarh, District Rajnandgaon (CG). 2. Hukumchand Jain S./o Late Gulabchand Jain, aged about 63 years, R/o Khairagarh, District Rajnandgaon (CG). 3. Maklian Lal S/o Than Singh Gond aged about 56 years, R/o village Changurda Tahsil IQiairagarh, District Rajnandgaon (CG). VE'RSUS RESPONDENTS : 1. State of Chhattisgarh through the Secretaiy Forest Department, DKS Bhawan, Raipur (CG). 2. The Collector P.ajnandgaon, District Rajnandgaon (GG). 3. Divisional Forest Officer (General) Forest Division Khairagarh, District Rajnandgaon (CG). 4. Forest Range Officer, Range Khairagarh, District Rajnandgaon (CG). (WRIT PETmON UNDER ARTICLE 226 OF THE CONSTITUIION OF INDIA) (SB: Honrble Mr. Satish K. Agiiihotri, J.) Preseiit : Shri Rakesh Pandey, Advocate forthe petitioners. Shri Bhaskar Pyasi, Panel Lawyer for the State. ORALORDER (Passed on 5th day of Jsssxssiry, 2009) 1. With the consent ofthe parties, the matter is taken up for hearing fmally, 2. Leamed counsel appearing for the petitioners submits that fhe Divisional Forest Officer (for short fDFOa), Division Kliairagarh, District Rajnaiidgaon, has to pass an order on application filed by the petitioners for issue of transit passes within a period of 45 days, as prescribed under Section 4 (2) (d) ofthe Chhattisgarh Transit (Forest Produce) Rules, 2001 (for short 'the Rules, 2001'). 3. Leamed counsel appearing for the State submits that the authorities may be directed to dispose ofthe application ofthe petitioners and pass appropriate orders within the reasonable time. 4. On the basis of fair submission made by tlie counsel for the State, even otherwise, the DFO, Division Khairagarh, District Rajnandgaon, is under obligatiosi to consider the application ofthe petitioners for issue oftramit passes within a period of45 days, the petitioners have filed an application cn 25.03.20085 and no decision has been taken as on date, thus, it is desirable to direct the DFO, Division Khairagarh, District RaJnandgaon, to consider the appiication ofthe petitioners and pass appropriate orders in accordance with iaw, as expeditiously as possible, preferably within a period of two weeks Iromthe date ofreceiptofa copy oftliis order. 5. With the above stated direction, this petition stands disposed of No order as to costs. Sd/- Satish K. Agnihotri Judge