RAIT SENA KARNATAKA Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Heard learned advocate Mr. Gautam Shreedhar Bharadwaj for the petitioner, learned Central Government Counsel Mr. B. Pramod for respondent No.1, learned Additional Government Advocate Ms. Niloufer Akbar for respondent Nos.2 to 4 and learned advocate Ms. Urmila Pullat for learned Advocate Mr. B.N. Jagadeesha for respondent No.7.

(2.) The instant writ petition has been filed as a Public Interest Litigation, seeking a direction to respondent Nos. 2 and 3 to operate procurement centers across the State of Karnataka throughout the year, so as to enable farmers to sell their produce at the Minimum Support Price (MSP).

(3.) The petitioner, as pleaded, is a registered Society formed with the objective to espouse the cause and the welfare of farmers within the State of Karnataka and is stated to be actively engaged in various farmer-centric activities. It is the averment of the petitioner that farmers are facing severe hardship due to the nonoperation of procurement centers throughout the year. It is contended that procurement centers are functional only for a limited period each year, which, apart from causing inconvenience and hardship to farmers, results in their being compelled to sell their produce to middlemen or agents at rates substantially lower than the MSP. It is further submitted that the State Government undertakes direct procurement of food grains and distributes the same under various welfare schemes. According to the petitioner, the MSP procurement scheme is intended to give effect to the provisions of the National Food Security Act, 2013, which mandates the establishment of procurement centers for the purchase of agricultural produce at MSP. It is also contended that there exists no statutory mandate or restriction that prohibits the operation of procurement centers throughout the year.