Patna High Court heard the matter of cancellation of PDS license to PACS in the state of Bihar and gave 6 weeks’ time to the state govt to respond, informs Ajay Kumar Gupta, State President of PACS Managers’ Association, Bihar.
Sadly, for the cooperative sector of the state, even in crisis the race to be number one persists as there seems to be two groups of petitioners in the matter. While YV Giri represents one group, another group is represented by Senior Advocate Vindhyachal Rai.
In a press note sent to Indian Cooperative, Ajay Kumar Gupta, State President of PACS Managers’ Association says the issue of cancellation of PDS license to PACS has been heard by the Patna High Court Wednesday, after admitting the case.
“I wish to inform all the PACS Presidents of the State that the petition Case No. 5640/2020 filed by the PACS Managers’ Association, Bihar has been heard today, in which Senior Advocate Vindhyachal Rai strongly argued on our behalf”, read the press note by Mr Gupta.
Assuring that the case has been admitted and not dismissed, the PACS President said that the Honourable Court has given six weeks to the government to respond to the petition. Due to the summer the Court would remain closed the govt has to respond as soon as the court resumes the hearing, said Gupta.
Gupta also informs that the order would have stayed but for an earlier case. “The Government Advocate argued for the dismissal of our petition on the basis of the case dated 04.05.2020, but the Senior Advocate Vindhyachal Rai argued this case is different” underlined Gupta.
“In the said case there was no basis for payment of manager’s salary while in this case payment of manager’s salary is an issue. At this, the court agreed to hear the matter and sought a response from the government in 6 weeks”, said Gupta giving details of the hearing.
“It is a big victory that the court has sought a response from the government on this. Today 50% percent has been won and 100% will be won in the next hearing”, Gupta said.
In his note the PACS President also thanked State Cooperative Federation President Vinay Kumar Shahi and hoped Shahi would continue to provide guidance in future also.
It bears recall that earlier, co-operators connected to Biscomaun Chairman Dr Sunil Kumar Singh had also sent us a mail detailing the preparations for fighting the draconian order of the state govt cancelling PDS license of 4000 PACCS.
In a video conference they had decided to fight the case in court and sought the services of the reputed lawyer Y V Giri for the same. Besides Sunil, Ramesh Chandra Chaubey, Satyendra Narayan Singh, Jeetendra Kumar, Mahesh Rai and many others are involved in the legal fight.
“Y V Giri, senior Advocate has submitted our petition and luckily it has been admitted by the Honourable Court”, informed Sunil about a week earlier.
Explaining the state govt motive behind the cancellation of license Sunil said that the whole thing has started in the wake of the distribution of grains under the PM PM Garib Anna Yojna. There is an effort to benefit some private traders at the cost of PACS and there looks involvement of some officials of Bihar in the matter, Sunil charged.
It bears recall that for three months beginning April, rice, atta and dal are being distributed to each state under the PM Garib Anna Yojna. The doubt in the minds of co-operators arose because the PDS licenses of PACCS have been cancelled just for three months- a fact which compels the conclusion that there is something fishy about the govt decision.
