High Court Dismisses Petition Challenging Termination of LPG Dealership Agreement
Chandigarh, April 11, 2023: In a significant ruling, the High Court of Punjab and Haryana has dismissed a petition filed by M/s SRA HP Gas Agency and others challenging the termination of their LPG dealership agreement. The court, presided over by Hon’ble Mr. Justice Jasgurpreet Singh Puri, upheld the termination letter issued by the Union of India and ruled that the termination was justified due to non-compliance with the eligibility criteria.
The petitioners had sought the quashing of the termination letter, which ended their dealership agreement for running the LPG dealership in Hoshiarpur. They argued that there was no concealment of material facts and that the termination was based on a malicious complaint filed by a competitor. The petitioners claimed that one of the partners held an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card and should be treated at par with a Non-Resident Indian (NRI) under the Citizenship Act, 1955.
However, the respondents contended that the eligibility criteria explicitly required the applicant to be an Indian citizen and a resident of India. They maintained that the Corporation did not permit OCIs or NRIs to apply for the dealership, and therefore, the petitioner’s claim of OCI status did not make them eligible.
After considering the arguments from both sides, the court analyzed the provisions of the Citizenship Act, 1955 and a government notification. It concluded that the petitioner’s OCI status did not fulfill the eligibility criteria, which necessitated being an Indian citizen and a resident of India. The court found that the termination of the dealership agreement was justified, as the petitioner did not meet the eligibility requirements.
Date of Decision:11.04.2023
M/s SRA HP Gas Agency and others vs Union of India and others
