Lgc IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY ORDINARY ORIGINAL CIVIL JURISDICTION WRIT PETITION NO.2575 OF 2009 Shidhavatap Dukandar Sanghatana, Mumbai : Petitioner versus The State of Maharashtra & Anr. : Respondents. Mr. V T Tulpule i/by Ms.Swati Sawant for the Petitioner. Mr.A B Ketkar, AGP for Respondent Nos. 1 and 2. Mr.Vasudev S Pawar, Rationing Inspector present. CORAM : J N PATEL & C L PANGARKAR, J DATED : 15th FEBRUARY 2010 P.C. 1. This Petition has been filed by the association of fair price shop owners impugning the G.R. Dated 11th September 2009 and the consequent circular issued by the Controller of Rationing on 18th September 2009 on the ground that the obligation placed on the fair price shop owners by the said G. R. and the directions in the circular are not only arbitrary, illegal but they impose responsibility on the fair price shop owners of verifying and checking the form and documents annexed to the form submitted by the persons in Form Sample B-1, which according to the Petitioners, is not their responsibility but it is the job of the Respondents. It is submitted by the learned counsel for the Petitioners that so far as responsibility of collecting information in Form B-1 from the ration card holders is concerned, to that extent the petitioners have no objection. But so far as verification of the particulars filled in by the ration card holders is concerned, that should be done by the officers of the Respondents and to that extent the government circular issued by the Controller of Rationing is concerned, the same has to be quashed and set aside. 2. The learned AGP appearing for the Respondents submits that the G R as well as the circular does not impose any responsibility on the fair price shop owners to verify the credential of the ration card holders or particulars furnished by them, but the job assigned to the fair price shop owners is to get the forms filled in from the ration card holders for the purpose of verification of the officials of the Respondents. 3. In view of this statement made by the learned AGP, the apprehension expressed by the petitioners’ association appears to be misplaced. The learned AGP further assures that no fair price shop owners’ licence would be terminated if the ration card holder is found to have given false information. 4. If this is so, the Petitioners need not feel aggrieved by the said notification and circular. The Petition therefore stands disposed of accordingly. (J N Patel, J) (C L Pangarkar, J)