Patna High Court
Ramashish RayversusThe State of Bihar
- Decided
- Disposal
- DISPOSED
- Bench
- A ABHISHEK REDDY
Holding
The Court ordered the respondents to rectify the e‑POS discrepancies within four weeks, thereby granting the petitioners' relief.
Summary
The petitioners, two licensed grain dealers, filed a writ petition seeking a mandamus directing the Sub‑Divisional Officer, Rosera, to delete erroneous entries of wheat and rice quantities that were falsely uploaded onto their e‑POS machines and to update the machines to reflect actual stock received. They alleged that the recorded quantities (approximately 62 qtl. of wheat and 93 qtl. of rice for the first petitioner, and 99 qtl. of wheat and 185 qtl. of rice for the second) were never supplied to them. The respondents argued that a technical fault caused the discrepancies, that a correction report had already been sent to the District Supply Officer, and that verification for the second petitioner showed no discrepancy. The Court examined whether the authorities were obligated to correct the e‑POS records and ensure the continuation of monthly grain allotments. Finding merit in the petitioners' grievance, the Court directed the official respondents to rectify the e‑POS discrepancies within four weeks. Consequently, the writ petition was disposed with the said directions.
Issues considered
- Whether the authorities are liable to issue a mandamus directing correction of erroneous entries in the e‑POS machines of the petitioners.
- Whether the petitioners are entitled to a direction to update their e‑POS stock records and continue monthly grain allotments as per their licences.
Subjects
- ePOS
- food grain distribution
- mandamus
- technical fault
- stock discrepancy
- Public Distribution System
- Bihar
Judgment
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
Civil Writ Jurisdiction Case No.13310 of 2025
======================================================
1. Ramashish Ray, Son of Baleshwar Ray, Resident of Village Mangalgarh, PS
Hasanpur, District Samastipur (Bihar).
2. Amardeep Kumar Son of Mahendra Paswan, Resident of Ward 12,
Durugpur, PS Hasanpur, District Samastipur (Bihar).
... ... Petitioner/s
Versus
1. The State of Bihar through the Principal Secretary, Food and Consumer
Protection Department, Old Secretariat, Patna.
2. The Managing Director, Bihar State Food Corporation, Patna.
3. The Head I.T. Cell, Food and Consumer Protection Department, Old
Secretariat, Patna.
4. The District Magistrate, District Samastipur.
5. The District Supply Officer, District Samastipur.
6. The District Manager, Bihar State Food Corporation, Samastipur.
7. The Additional District Manager, Bihar State Food Corporation, District
Samastipur.
8. The Sub-Divisional Officer, Rosera, District Samastipur.
9. The Assistant District Supply Officer, Rosera, District Samastipur.
10. The Block Supply Officer, Hasanpur, District Samastipur.
11. The Assistant Godown Manager, Hasanpur, District Samastipur.
... ... Respondent/s
======================================================
Appearance :
For the Petitioner/s : Mr. Kumar Gaurav, Advocate.
For the Respondent/s : Mr. Government Pleader (23).
For the Corporation : Mr. Nirmal Kumar, Advocate.
======================================================
CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE A. ABHISHEK REDDY
ORAL ORDER
5 15-04-2026 Heard the learned counsel for the parties.
2. The present Writ Petition has been filed on behalf of
the petitioners above named for issuance of an appropriate writ,
order and direction for;
Patna High Court CWJC No.13310 of 2025(5) dt.15-04-2026
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“(i) A Mandamus
Commanding the Competent Authority
i.e. S.D.O. Rosera, Samastipur to
eliminate & blot out the wrongly and
excess quantity of food grains i.e about
62 qtl. & 35 k.g of wheat & about 93 qtl.
& 51 k.g of Rice has falsely been entered
& uploaded on to the petitioner No. 1
(Ramashish Ray) having License No.
314/2016, E-Pos Machine No
122100300178 & also to eliminate &
blot out the wrongly and excess quantity
of food grains i.e about 99 qtl. & 8 kg of
wheat & about 185 qtl. & 16 kg of Rice
has falsely been entered & uploaded on
to the petitioner No. 2 (Amardeep
Kumar) having License No. 01/2019, E-
Pos Machine No. 122100300513 which
is still showing in the machine but said
food grains in question has neither been
supplied to the petitioner nor the
petitioner has never received the same.
(ii) A mandamus commanding
further may kindly be directed to the
competent authority to update the
petitioners EPOS Machine as per the
stock received by the petitioner and
distribute the same amongst the
beneficiaries & also continue the
monthly allotment as per the consumer
tagged with the shop of the petitioner as
before.”
3. In the counter-affidavit filed by the Respondent-
State at paragraph Nos. 14, 15, 20, 24 and 27, it is stated as
under:-
“14. That in reply of the
statement made in Para No. 12 of the writ
Patna High Court CWJC No.13310 of 2025(5) dt.15-04-2026
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petition it is submitted that report has
already been sent by the SDO Rosera to
the District Supply Officer Samastipur for
making correction in the stock with respect
to Petitioner No. 1.
15. That in reply of the
statement made in Para No. 13 of the writ
petition it is submitted that due to
technical fault discrepancies in stock arose
between stock displayed on e-POS
Machine & Physical stock.
20. That in reply of the
statement made in Para No. 19 & 20 of the
writ petition it is submitted that the
answering respondents are taking
appropriate measure to redress the
grievance of the Petitioner No. 1.
24. That in reply of the
statement made in Para No. 24 of the writ
petition it is submitted that in the matter of
petitioner no. 1, report has already been
sent for making correction in the stock
whereas in the matter of petitioner no. 2 it
is submitted that after verification of e-
POS Machine no discrepancies was found
by the concerned authority.
27. That in reply of the
statement made in Para No. 27 of the writ
petition it is submitted that the answering
respondents are taking all measure for
making correction in the stock which was
occurred due to technical fault.”
4. Having regard to the above, the present writ petition
is disposed of directing the official respondents to rectify the
discrepancies in the ePOS machine as expeditiously as possible
preferably within a period of 4 weeks from the date of the receipt
of the copy of this order. The authority shall duly take into
Patna High Court CWJC No.13310 of 2025(5) dt.15-04-2026
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consideration the Page Nos. 19 and 20 of the counter-affidavit.
5. With the above directions, the present writ petition
stands disposed of.
(A. Abhishek Reddy, J)
shakir/-
U
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