( 1 ) THE petitioner is seeking a writ of Mandamus to direct the respondents to set aside the order of allotment dated July 9, 1983, made in favour of the fourth respondent V. Kanaka Raju of Fair Price Shop No. 83 in Block no. 22 of Nellore Town ; to continue the petitioner as dealer thereof and to issue quotas as usual.

( 2 ) THE facts are fairly not in dispute and they lie in a narrow circumference : one Vaddi Sasidhar was allotted and granted a licence in the year 1980 under the Andhra Pradesh Scheduled Commodities (Licensing and distribution) Order, 1982, for short, "the Order" to run Fair Price Shop No. 83 in Block No. 22 of Nellore Town and he has been running the same. The petitioner has been working under him as a clerk. Mr. Sasidhar had surrendered the licence in February 1983. By order dated march 23 1983 the petitioner was granted temporary licence pending allotment to a regular candidate, In the interregnum, the Government, in G. O. Rt. No. 714 dated June 16, 1983. took a policy decision to allot 20% of the fair price shops held by the individuals in each district to the members of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled tribes, for short, "the Dalits". Purs