SANJAY KISHAN KAUL, J.

Rule D.B.

2. Learned counsel for respondents accepts notice.

3. At the request of the learned counsel for the parties, the petition is taken up for final disposal.

4. The petitioner, a Labourer by profession, purchased a ticket for Rs.100/- of the Punjab State Baisakhi Bumper, 2013 bearing No. B-228855 in the name of his daughter Isha Saini from M/s. Bhanot Enterprises, SC Market, Ludhiana through its agent Shri Surjeet Singh. The petitioner received a telephonic call from the agent that the ticket he had purchased has won a prize of Rs.5 lacs in the draw and the petitioner approached the respondent-department for releasing the amount of prize money on surrender of the ticket. However, though the respondent is stated to have accepted the claim of the petitioner to be genuine, but the prize money was not released in favour of the petitioner.

5. The petitioner in order to support his claim filed an affidavit affirmed on 14.5.2013 along with representation to respondent No. 3 to the effect that the ticket was torn by the children, but he had collected all the pieces of the ticket and got it laminated and surrendered the same. He requested for the ticket to b