Exclusion from a procurement list without a hearing or reason violates principles of natural justice, rendering the action arbitrary.

JUDGMENT :

ANANDA CHANDRA BEHERA, J.

1. This writ petition under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution of India, 1950 has been filed by the petitioner- Maa Tarini-WSHG praying for quashing the Office Order dated 07.01.2026 under Annexure-9 issued by the Collector, Bhadrak (Opp. Party No.4) relating to the exclusion of the name of the petitioner-WSHG from the Annexure-8 as a society/agency for the procurement of paddy of Tihidi Block of Kharif Marketing Season 2025-26 and to declare the action of the Opp. Parties relating to the exclusion of the name of the petitioner-WSHG for the procurement of paddy of Tihidi Block for KMS 2025-26 as arbitrary and illegal and issue a Writ of Mandamus directing the Opp. Parties to allow the petitioner- WSHG to procure Paddy for KMS 2025-2026 of Tihidi Block in accordance with the notified policy along with other reliefs, to which, the petitioner-WSHG is entitled for.

2. The case of the petitioner-WSHG is that, as per the decision of the District Level Paddy Procurement Committee (DLPC) for KMS 2025-26, the petitioner-WSHG was selected as a paddy procurement society/agency of Tihidi Block indicating the name of the petitioner-WSHG, in Serial No.153 of Annexure-3 with its PAC Code No.S2040712. Thereafter, as per Office Order dated 11.12.2025 and 18.12.2025 issued by the Collector, Bhadrak (Opp. Party No.4), a training programme was conducted and in such training programme, the members of the petitioner-WSHG successfully completed their training and demonstrated their preparedness to procure paddy in compliances with the policy frameworks.

The above conduct of the Opp. Parties clearly clarifying that, petitioner-WSHG was fully equipped in its all respect for the procurement of paddy for KMS 2025-26 of Tihidi Block. Nodal Officer was also duly appointed for the smooth progress of the paddy procurement system by the petitioner-WSHG and the final list of eligible Women Self Help Groups including the petitioner-WSHG for the procurement of paddy for KMS 2025- 26 of Tihidi Block was prepared on dated 02.01.2026 as per Annexure-8, in which, the name of the petitioner-WSHG was in Sl. No.48, but on 07.01.2026, suddenly, the same Collector, Bhadrak (Opp. Party No.4) unilaterally and illegally issued the impugned Office Order vide Annexure-9 excluding the name of the petitioner-WSHG as an agency for the procurement of paddy for KMS 2025-26 of Tihidi Block behind the back of the petitioner without assigning any reason and without giving any opportunity of being heard to the petitioner-WSHG for the exclusion of its name from the paddy procurement system for KMS 2025-26.

For which, without, getting any way, the petitioner filed this writ petition against the Opp. Parties praying for quashing the impugned Letter/Order dated 07.01.2026 vide Annexure-9 issued/passed by the Collector, Bhadrak (Opp. Party No.4) relating to the exclusion of the name of the petitioner-WSHG as an agency for the procurement of paddy for Kharif Marketing Season 2025-26 of Tihidi Block and to declare the action of the Opp. Parties as arbitrary and illegal and to issue a Writ of Mandamus against the Opp. Parties directing the Opp. Parties to allow the petitioner-WSHG to procure the paddy for KMS 2025-2026 in accordance with the notified policy.

3. I have already heard from the learned counsel for the petitioner & learned Standing Counsel for the State.

4. The undisputed documents relied by the petitioner vide Annexures-1 to 8 are going to show that, the petitioner was selected as a paddy procurement society /agency for KMS 2025-26 of Tihidi Block in the District of Bhadrak and its PAC Code No. was S2040712 and accordingly, as