PRITAM LAL RATRE vs STATE OF CHHATTISGARH

Court: Chhattisgarh High Court
Case type: WRIT PETITION ALL ORDERS CIVIL RELATED TO OTHER MATTER
Decided on: 09-04-2026

<div> 1 2026:CGHC:16247 2026:CGHC:16247 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR WPC No. 1474 of 2026 Pritam Lal Ratre S/o Late Shri Bisahu Ram Ratre, Aged About 66 Years R/o Village Nandeli, Post Sonthi, Tahsil Sakti District- Sakti (C.G.) ... Petitioner. Versus 1. State Of Chhattisgarh Through Secretary, Department Of Revenue And Disaster Management, Mantralaya, Mahanadi Bhawan , Atal Nagar, New Raipur, District- Raipur (C.G.) 2. Secretary, Department Of General Administration, Mantralaya, Mahanadi Bhawan , Atal Nagar, New Raipur, District- Raipur (C.G.) 3. Secretary, Department Of Home, Mantralaya, Mahanadi Bhawan , Atal Nagar, New Raipur, District- Raipur (C.G.) 4. Commissioner, Division Bilaspur, District- Bilaspur (C.G.) 5. Collector, District- Sakti (C.G.) 6. Superintendent Of Police, District- Sakti (C.G.) </div><table><thead><tr><th>For Petitioner</th><th>:</th><th>Mr. Jeet Ram Patel, Advocate.</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>For Res/State</td><td>:</td><td>Dr. Arham Siddiqui, Panel Lawyer.</td></tr></tbody></table><div> (Hon’ble Shri Justice Naresh Kumar Chandravanshi ) Order on Board 09/04/2026 1. This Writ Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India has been filed for the followings reliefs:- "10.1 That, this Honble Court may kindly be pleased to quash/ set-aside the order dated 13.08.2025 (Annexure P-1) as well as order dated 09.09.2025 (Annexure P-2) issued by the respondent 2 2026:CGHC:16247 no. 5 i.e. Collector, District Sakti, (C.G.), whereby without reason or cogent ground rejected the application for renewal of license i.e. renewal of petitioner's identity card as well as registration certificate regarding Interstate Agriculture Cattle Trader. In the interest if justice. 10.2 That, this Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to direct the respondent no. 5 to reconsider the petitioner's application for issuance of 3rd renewal of his license since 08.04.2025 to 07.04.2028 in accordance with law, in the interest of justice. 10.3 That, this Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to grant any other relief/relief's in favor of the petitioner, which the Hon'ble Court deemed fit & just in the facts and circumstances of the case, including awarding of the costs to the petitioner." 2. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner is a registered Interstate Agricultural Cattle trader. Initially, a licence was issued in favour of the petitioner by the District Magistrate, Janjgir-Champa, in the year 2016 for a period of three years. Subsequently, it was renewed from 08.04.2019 to 07.04.2022 and from 08.04.2022 to 07.04.2025. When the licence expired on 08.04.2025, the petitioner applied for a renewal for the period of 08.04.2025 to 07.04.2028. However, both his initial application and his review application were rejected by the Additional Collector, Sakti, via orders/communications dated 13.08.2025 and 09.09.2025 (Annexure-P/1) without any valid reason. He further submits that such orders were passed without providing the petitioner an opportunity of being heard, which has adversely affected the petitioner's livelihood. Hence, it is prayed that the said orders be set aside and appropriate order may be passed. 3. Learned State counsel submits that an appropriate order may be passed in the matter. 4. Heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the record. 5. By communication/order dated 13.08.2025 and 09.09.2025 (Annexure-P/1), the application submitted by the petitioner for the renewal of his interstate 3 2026:CGHC:16247 agricultural cattle trader licence for the period 08.04.2025 to 07.04.2028 as well as the review application were rejected by the Additional Collector, Sakti. The reason cited for rejection was that the Superintendent of Police did not make a recommendation for renewal in respect of communication dated 18.02.2025 Annexure-P/5, by which, the Additional Collector had sought information as to whether any criminal case was registered against the petitioner or not. 6. When a specific query was put to the learned State counsel as to whether any report was submitted by the Superintendent of Police in respect of Annexure- P/5, he submitted, upon instructions, a communication made by the Superintendent of Police, Sakti, to the District Collector, Sakti, on 13.08.2025. The contents of the communication dated 13.08.2025 are reproduced hereunder: कार्यालयपुलिसअधीक्षक , जिलासक्ती ( छ . ग .) क्रमांक - पुअ / सक्ती / जिविशा / श . ला . / 57 / 2025 दिनांक : 13/08/2025 प्रति , जिलादण्डाधिकारी जिलासक्ती। विषय :- अंतर्राज्यीयकृषिकपशुव्यापारीपहचानएवंपंजीयनप्रमाणपत्रनवीनीकरणहेतु। संदर्भ :- आपकापत्रक्र ./869 ए / कृ०पं०व्या०पंजी० / नवी० / लाय०शाखा /2025 सक्तीदिनांक 18.02.25 एवंपत्रकम ./3200/ / नवी० / लाय०शाखा /2025 कृ०पं०व्या०पंजी० सक्तीदिनांक 01.08.2025 —00— विषयांतर्गतसंदर्भितपत्रकेसंबंधमेंलेखहैकि आवेदकश्रीप्रीतमलालरात्रेपितास्व . श्रीबिसाहूरामरात्रेसाकिननंदेली , थानासक्ती , जिलासक्तीद्वारास्वीकृतपहचानएवंपंजीयन प्रमाणपत्रक्रमांक 61/2016 कानवीनीकरणदिनांक 08.04.2025 से 07.04.2028 तक करनेके संबंधमेंथानाप्रभारीसक्तीसेजांचकराईगई।थानाप्रभारीसक्तीसेप्राप्त प्रतिवेदनानुसारवर्तमानपरिदृश्यमेंपशुसंबंधितअपराधोंकीवृद्धिकोदेखतेहुयेपहचान अंतर्राज्यीयकृषिकपशुव्यापारीपहचानएवंपंजीयनप्रमाणपत्रकोनवीनीकरणकियेकिया जानाउचितनहींहै। अतःथानाप्रभारीसक्तीकेअभिमतानुसारआवेदककोस्वीकृतअंतर्राज्यीयकृषिक पशुव्यापारीपहचानएवंपंजीयनप्रमाणपत्रकोनवीनीकरणकरनेहेतुअनुशंसानहींकीजाती है।कृपयाप्रतिवेदनप्रेषितहै। ( हस्ताक्षर ) पुलिसअधीक्षक जिलासक्ती ( छ . ग .) 4 2026:CGHC:16247 7. A perusal of the aforementioned communication made by the Superintendent of Police, Sakti, shows that although information was sought only with regard to the criminal record of the petitioner, if any, however instead thereof, the Superintendent merely mentioned that, in view of growing offences related to cattle, it would not be appropriate to renew the petitioner's licence. Such a contention cannot be considered as a proper ground for rejection of an application for the renewal of a licence submitted by the petitioner. The petitioner earns his livelihood through the cattle trade, despite this, the Additional Collector, without application of mind and without any cogent reason or specific allegation against the petitioner, rejected the petitioner's application, which cannot be appreciated. Hence, the impugned communication/order dated 13.08.2025 and the subsequent review communication/order dated 09.09.2025 are not sustainable and are hereby quashed. 8. The Collector, Sakti, is directed to reconsider the application of the petitioner and pass a fresh, speaking and reasoned order within a period of 15 days from today in accordance with applicable rules/law. 9. Learned State counsel is directed to look into the matter to ensure the expeditious compliance of this order. 10. Copy of order dated 13.08.2025 be placed on record. 11. With the aforesaid direction and observation, this writ petition is disposed of. Sd/- (Naresh Kumar Chandravanshi) Judge Ajay</div>