[Cancelling authorisation to bachat gats] Motto is women empowerment but action in "utter contrast": Bombay High Court

The Aurangabad Bench of the Bombay High Court recently deprecated the State authorities for discouraging and depriving authorisation to women-run bachat gats (saving groups) [Stawan Mahila Bachat Gat & Ors. v. State of Maharashtra & Ors.]..Single-judge Justice Bharati Dangre said that the authorities had deprived authorisation to four such bachat gats on non-existent grounds and such actions ran contrary to the State's motto of women empowerment.“Woman empowerment being the motto of the State, in utter contrast, in this case the State authorities have undermined the four bachat gats and in a flippant manner have deprived them an opportunity of empowering several women in rural area ... It is a matter of serious concern about the whole approach against the petitioner bachat gat who in a perfunctory manner were discouraged and deprived of the authorization granted in their favour on clumsy and a non existent grounds,” the judgment said.The Court, therefore, directed the District Supply Officer (DSO) to restore authorisation in favour of the petitioners within eight weeks..The Court emphasised that empowering women through such groups can help the country.“ ... the policy of the Government is to encourage their empowerment, so that they become independent and develop the ability to make strategic choices in all areas of their lives and would take this country ahead in securing gender equality by their sustainable development,” the single-judge stated..The Court was approached by four Mahila bachat gats who were aggrieved by the cancellation of their authorisation at the hands of the District Supply Officer.The DSO had earlier conferred authorisation to the petitioners to run distinct fair price shops.The petitioners were issued notices under the Maharashtra Scheduled Commodities (Regulation of Distribution) Regulation Order, after the authorities noted that a truck full of grains was stuck without due authorisation.An offence came to be registered and their authorisation was suspended.The decision to suspend the authorisation was upheld by the Deputy Commissioner of Supply Department and thereafter by the Minister of Food Supply Department.The petitioners stated that the suspension of authorisation was on unsustainable grounds, and the policy of the State government does not contemplate cancellation of authorisation of fair price shop in wake of the allegations levelled against them..The single-judge noted that the orders under challenge, cancelling the authorisation of fair price shop in favour of the petitioners by the DSO and upheld in appeals, cannot be sustained.“The petitioners are entitled for restoration of their authorization, to run the fair price shop, by setting aside the impugned orders,” the Court said..Advocate Shaikh MA Jahagirdar appeared for the petitioners. Additional Director General of Police KB Jadhavar appeared for the respondent authorities.[Read Judgment]