RAJU Vs. STATE OF MAHARASHTRA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This batch of petitions raise a common challenge, which is primarily to the Government Resolution dtd. 21/2/2022 issued by the State Government in its Cooperation, Marketing and Textiles Department, whereby a policy is formulated by the State Government for payment of price of sugarcane, namely, the Fair and Remunerative Price (for short 'FRP') to the farmers being contrary to the 'Sugarcane (Control) Order, 1966' (for short 'SCO 1966') issued by the Central Government.

(2.) On behalf of the sugarcane farmers, Writ Petition No. 5736 of 2022-Raju alias Devappa Anna Shetty and Ors. was argued as the lead matter, which is filed in the interest of the farmers/ agriculturists growing sugarcane and supplying their produce to the sugar factories. In similar interest, other Writ Petitions are filed by the sugar mills, who are aggrieved by the impugned Government Resolution.

(3.) There is an Intervention Application filed on behalf of the farmers by Mr. Anil Jaysing Ghanwat, who is the Ex-President of Shetkari Sanghatana established by Shri Sharad Joshi, who was also the President of Swatantra Bharat Party, a Political Wing of Shetkari Sanghatana. The intervenors are stated to have a long history of dialogue and agitations on behalf of sugarcane growers on the price of sugarcane, since the year 1980, as set out in the application.