In a surprising turn of events, a legal battle over a fair price shop in the village of Tembli, Amravati, has taken a new direction. The Bombay High Court, Nagpur Bench, has canceled an order by the Minister of Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection. Let's break down what happened.
Back in 2020, Nandkishor Onkar Mawaskar and others, all farmers from Tembli, complained about problems at a fair price shop run by Shivkumar Nathhuji Patil. They claimed that wheat and rice were being mishandled, and there were other issues like incorrect signboard displays.
A group investigating the situation confirmed these claims on December 14, 2020. The District Supply Officer (DSO) then decided on penalties on January 20, 2021, including taking away the shop's security deposit and canceling its permission to operate.
"Shivkumar Nathhuji Patil was guilty of mishandling 22.6 quintals of wheat and 11.36 quintals of rice."
Shivkumar Nathhuji Patil challenged this decision, but the Deputy Commissioner agreed with the DSO's decision on April 20, 2021. Not giving up, Shivkumar took the matter to the Minister of Food Civil Supplies, who surprisingly ordered a new inspection and allowed the shop to continue operating on July 19, 2021.
Nandkishor Onkar Mawaskar and the other original complainants challenged the Minister's decision, arguing it was made without proper evidence. They referred to a previous court ruling that allowed them to continue their case.
Justice Rohit W. Joshi found that the Minister's decision didn't have a proper basis, noting:
"The Hon’ble Minister has not recorded any positive finding that the findings recorded by the District Supply Officer and the Commissioner respectively are illegal or improper."
The case is now back with the Minister for a new decision, with a deadline of May 31, 2026. Until then, Shivkumar Nathhuji Patil can continue running the shop unless another legal issue arises.
