LABHA RAM AND SONS . vs STATE OF PUNJAB . — C.A. No. 2505/1998

The Supreme Court allowed the appeals of food-grain dealers who were displaced from old market areas in Punjab's Ferozepur District when new mandi (market) complexes were established in 1997. The Court held that the State has an inherent obligation to provide existing licensed dealers preference in allotting plots/buildings in new mandis at reasonable rates, rejecting open auction as the sole allocation method. The Court directed the State to provide preference to the appellants in allotment matters, recognizing their Article 14 and 19(1)(g) constitutional rights, while allowing the Government to fix rates above the reserved price for such dealers. This case analysis is maintained by casestatus.in based on publicly available court records.