In Brief
An applicant sought LPG distributorship under the Rajiv Gandhi Gramin LPG Vitrak Scheme in village Laikera, Orissa. Though his official residence certificate showed him as a permanent resident of another village (due to ancestral properties), he was an ordinary/de-facto resident of Laikera and a registered voter there. The IOCL verified and confirmed his eligibility and awarded him the distributorship after conducting a draw. The High Court set aside this award, holding he was not a permanent resident. The Supreme Court held that the scheme required ordinary residency at the advertised location, not permanent domicile. Since the appellant was confirmed as an ordinary resident of Laikera by IOCL and was a voter there, he satisfied the eligibility criteria. The appeal was allowed and the High Court's order set aside.
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