Full Judgment
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM
PRESENT THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE ANIL K. NARENDRAN & THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE G. GIRISH FRIDAY, THE 1ST DAY OF DECEMBER 2023 / 10TH AGRAHAYANA, WP(C) NO.40360 OF 2023 PETITIONER: NIZZAR AGED 45 YEARS S/O ABDUL MAJEED, KALLUNKAL, KARUVATTA NORTH, KARUVATTA, ALAPPUZHA, PIN - 690517 BY ADVS. GEORGE VARGHESE(PERUMPALLIKUTTIYIL) MANU SRINATH NIMESH THOMAS RESPONDENTS: 1 TRAVANCORE DEVASWOM BOARD DEVASWOM HEAD QUARTERS, NANTHANCODE, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY, PIN - 695003 2 DEVASWOM COMMISSIONER DEVASWOM HEAD QUARTERS, NANTHANCODE, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, PIN - 695003 3 EXECUTIVE MAGISTRATE OFFICE OF SABARIMALA SPECIAL COMMISSIONER, SABARIMALA, PATHANAMTHITTA, PIN - 689713 4 EXECUTIVE OFFICER SABARIMALA DEVASWOM, TRAVANCORE DEVASWOM BOARD, NANTHANCODE, KOWDIAR P.O, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, PIN - 695003 5 DISTRICT COLLECTOR COLLECTORATE, PATHANAMTHITTA, PIN - 689713 SRI S.RAJMOHAN- SR GOVERNMENT PLEADER ; SRI G.BIJU - STANDING COUNSEL- TRAVANCORE DEVASWOM BOARD THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 01.12.2023, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING:
JUDGMENT
Anil K. Narendran, J.
The petitioner, who participated in the auction conducted
pursuant to an e-tender notification No.EOP/196/23/SABA dated 24.08.2023 issued by the 4th respondent Executive Officer, Sabarimala, in respect of light refreshment stalls 18 and 19 in Ext.P1 list of Kuthaka items in that e-tender notification, has filed this writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, seeking a writ of certiorari to quash Ext.P6 notice dated 27.11.2023 issued by the 3rd respondent Devaswom Commissioner, whereby the petitioner is restrained from selling Chappathi, Porotta, Biriyani, Aloo Porotta, Aloo Chappathi in light refreshment stalls 18 and 19, on the ground that those items are not permitted items to be sold in light refreshment stalls. The petitioner has also sought for a writ of mandamus restraining respondents 3 to 5 from interfering with the conduct of bakery items notified in Ext.P3 notification dated 01.11.2023 issued by the 5th respondent District Collector, Pathanamthitta, which was one issued pursuant to G.O(P)Nos.38/15/F&CSD and
food items at Sannidhanam, Pampa and Nilakkal, during the Mandala-Makaravilakku festival season of 1199 M.E (2023-24), in the light refreshment stalls 18 and 19 of the petitioner at Sannidhanam.
2. The document marked as Ext.P2 is a certificate dated
11.11.2023 issued by the 4th respondent Executive Officer, in respect of stall No.19, along with challans dated 16.10.2023 and 11.11.2023 regarding the remittance towards ‘Kuthaka’ amount in respect of light refreshment stalls 18 and 19. When the petitioner was orally directed not to sell items other than those permitted in Ext.P1 list of Kuthaka items in the light
refreshment stalls 18 and 19, he submitted Ext.P5 representation dated 23.11.2023 before the 4th respondent Executive Officer. Thereafter, the petitioner was issued with Ext.P6 notice dated 27.11.2023 of the 3rd respondent Executive Magistrate, which is one issued with reference to the direction contained in the order of this Court dated 04.06.2018 in SSCR No.4 of 2018.
3. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner, learned
counsel, who represented the learned Standing Counsel for Travancore Devaswom Board, for respondents 1, 2 and 4 and also the learned Senior Government Pleader for respondents 3 and 5.
4. The issue that requires consideration in this writ
petition is as to whether any interference is warranted on Ext.P6 notice dated 27.11.2023 of the 3rd respondent Executive Magistrate. The said notice reads thus ;
“ബഹു കേരളാ ഹഹകകാടതിയിലെ SSCR 4/2018 ന്ᩘർ കേസിൽ, ആെുക ാക ാ്ട, ലെജി്റബിൾ ുൊവ്, ച്ᩔാ്ᩈി തുട്ങിയ ഭ്ഷണ സാധന്ങൾ െഘു ഭ്ഷണ ശാെേൾ െഴി െിൽ്ᩔന നട്ᩈാൻ ാടിെല എ്ᩐ കേെസവം കബാർഡ് തീരുമാനം അംഗീേരി്ച് സൂചന 3 പ് ോരം ഉ്ᩂായി്ടു്ള ബഹു. ഹഹകകാടതി ഉ്ᩈരവ് കഭേഗതി െ്ᩐി്ടിെലാ്ᩈ സാഹചരയ്ᩈിെും ച്ᩔാ്ᩈി, ല ാക ാ്ട, ബിരിയാണി ആെുക ാക ാ്ട, ആെുച്ᩔാ്ᩈി, ലെജി്റബിൾ ുൊവ് തുട്ങിയെ െിൽ്ᩔന നട്ᩈാലമ്ᩐു സൂചന 2 േു്ᩈേ െിെര്ᩈിൽ െയ്വമാകിയി്ടിെലാ്ᩈ സാഹചരയ്ᩈിെും കമൽ്ᩔടി ഭ്ഷയ െസ്തുകൾ െയ്വമായ അനുമതി െഭയമാകാലത താ്ഝൾ േു്ᩈേ എടു്ᩈി്ടു്ള LFS െഴി െിൽ്ᩔന നട്ᩈരുലത്ᩐ് താ്ഝലള ഇതിനാൽ അ ിയികു്ᩐു.”
5. The document marked as Ext.P1 is the list of
Kuthaka items as per the e-tender notification dated 24.08.2023 issued by the 4th respondent Executive Officer, Sabarimala. The description of Kuthaka items 18 and 19 in Ext.P1 list of Kuthaka items, reads thus ; “െഘു ഭ്ഷണശാെ ടി ോെയളെിൽ െഘു ഭ്ഷണശാെ നട്ᩈു്ᩐതിനു്ള അെോശം Pet Bottle ഒഴിൊകിയു്ള Soft Drinks, Vending
Machine ത്യാ ാകിയ tea, coffee, glucose, fruits, juice, കബക ി ഐ്റ്ങൾ ആയതുക ാലെ ാക്റിൽ തയാ ാകിയ ഐ്റ്ങൾ െട , ്ⴷസ് , േല്ട്െ്റ് തുട്ങി സമാന ഐ്റ്ങൾ െിൽകാെു്ᩐതാണ്. ഹെേയുതി ഉ കയാഗി്ച് കബക ി ഐ്റ്ങൾ ത്യാ ാകാെു്ᩐതാണ്. യാലതാരുോരണെശാെും െി ക് അനുെേനീയമെല. ഗയാസ് ഉ കയാഗി്ചു്ള ാചേം അനുെേനീയമാണ്. ഡിസ്ക ാസ് ലചക്യ്ᩂ സാധന്ങൾ ഭ്ഷണ്ᩈിന്ല അെശി്ᩖ്ങൾ തുട്ങിയെ കശഖരി്ചു േു്ᩈേകാരന്ല സവ്ᩌം ലചെെിൽ േിെസെും േു ്ഞത് ര്ᩂ് പ് ാെശയലമ്ഝിെും ഇൻസിനക ്റ ിൽ എ്ᩈികക്ᩂതാണ്. ലസേയൂരി്റിയായി 1 െ്ഷം രൂ െീതം ലേ്ടിെകക്ᩂതും ോൊെധികു കശഷം േട ഒഴി്ഞു മാ ി/താൽോെിേ ലഷഡ് ല ാളി്ചുമാ്റിയതിന് കശഷം മാപ്തം ലസേയൂരി്റി തുേ തിരിലേ നൽേു്ᩐതുമാണ്.” (underline supplied)
6. A reading of the description of the Kuthaka item in
Ext.P1 would show that the Kuthaka right granted to the petitioner is to sell soft drinks without pet bottles; tea and coffee prepared in vending machine; glucose, fruits, juice, bakery items and other packed items like vada, puffs, cutlet, etc., in his light refreshment stalls. The petitioner was issued with Ext.P6 notice by the 3rd respondent Executive Magistrate, when it was noticed that in addition to those items permitted, as per Ext.P1 list of Kuthaka items, the petitioner was selling
Aloo Porotta, Vegetable Pulav, Chappathi in his light refreshment stalls.
7. In Ext.P7 order of this Court dated 04.06.2018 in SSCR No.4 of 2018, the complaint was regarding the sale of
packed food items like Aloo Porotta, Vegetable Pulav, Chappathi, etc., in the light refreshment stalls at Sabarimala Sannidhanam. When that complaint was brought to the notice of this Court, the learned Standing Counsel for Travancore Devaswom Board submitted that for the year 2018-19, the above aspect has been clarified and the light refreshment stalls have been prohibited from selling items like Aloo Porotta, Vegetable Pulav, Chapathi, etc. This Court by Ext.P7 order, disposed of SSCR No.4 of 2018, recording the aforesaid submission made by the learned Standing Counsel. Therefore, sale of Aloo Porota, Vegetable Pulav, Chappathi, etc., cannot be permitted in the light refreshment stalls.
8. The learned counsel for the petitioner would rely on
the classification of bakery items in Ext.P3 notification dated 01.11.2023 issued by the 5th respondent District Collector, Pathanamthitta. The said notification is one issued in terms of the Government Orders dated 05.12.2015, regarding fixation of price of vegetarian food items at Sannidhanam, Pamba and
Nilakkal during Mandala-Makaravilakku festival season of 1199 ME (2023-24). When the e-tender for various Kuthaka items pursuant to notification dated 24.08.2023 issued by the 4th respondent Executive Officer, Sabarimala was conducted with specific reference to Ext.P1 list of Kuthaka items, which contains a detailed description of each Kuthaka item, the Kuthaka right granted to the petitioner to conduct light refreshment stalls 18 and 19 is regulated strictly in terms of the description of that Kuthaka item.
In such circumstances, we find no reason to interfere with Ext.P6 notice dated 27.11.2023 issued by the 3rd respondent Executive Magistrate, Sabarimala. In the result, the challenge made in this writ petition against Ext.P6 notice fails and the writ petition is accordingly dismissed. Sd/- ANIL K. NARENDRAN, JUDGE Sd/- G. GIRISH, JUDGE vgd APPENDIX OF WP(C) 40360/2023 PETITIONER’S EXHIBITS EXHIBIT P1 A TRUE COPY OF RELEVANT PAGES OF AUCTION NOTICE NO. DBROC.04/23 SAB(KUTHAKA) DATED 07.08.2023 NOTIFIED VIDE E.O.P./196/23/SABA DATED 24.08.2023 BY THE 4TH RESPONDENT
EXHIBIT P2 A TRUE COPY OF CERTIFICATE EOP NO. CHALLAN EVIDENCING REMITTANCE EXHIBIT P3 A TRUE COPY OF NOTIFICATION ISSUED BY THE 5TH RESPONDENT NO. DSOPTA/946/2023- CS7(2) DATED 01.11.2023 EXHIBIT P4 A TRUE COPY OF NOTIIFCATION ISSUED BY THE 5TH RESPONDENT NO. DSOPTA/946/2023- CS7(1) DATED 01.11.2023 EXHIBIT P5 A TRUE COPY OF LETTER GIVEN BY THE PETITIONER TO THE 4TH RESPONDENT ON 23.11.2023 EXHIBIT P6 A TRUE COPY OF ORDER NO. 4/2023 DATED 27.11.2023 ISSUED BY THE 3RD RESPONDENT EXHIBIT P7 A TRUE COPY OF JUDGMENT DATED 04.06.2018 IN SSCR NO. 4/2018 OF THIS HONOURABLE COURT EXHIBIT P8 A TRUE COPY OF CERTIFICATE NO. KSCB/KVTA/943/2023-24 DATED 28.11.2023 ISSUED BY KERALA BANK, KARUVATTA BRANCH EXHIBIT P9 A TRUE COPY OF CERTIFICATE NO.
KSCB/KVTA/944/2023-24 DATED 28.11.2023 ISSUED BY KERALA BANK, KARUVATTA BRANCH TO THE WIFE OF PETITIONER