Bombay High Court Upholds Maharashtra GR on Crop Procurement

The Bombay High Court dismissed petitions against a Maharashtra Government Resolution regarding the procurement of agricultural items, labeling them baseless. The court found no errors in the GR, aimed at productivity enhancement and value chain development. Petitioners were fined one lakh rupees for impeding progress.

The Bombay High Court has dismissed petitions challenging a Maharashtra Government Resolution (GR) concerning the procurement and supply of key agricultural items, deeming them “totally baseless.”

The ruling, issued by a division bench including Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Sandeep Marne, was accompanied by a cost imposition of one lakh rupees on the petitioners, who were identified as sprayer manufacturers. The court backed the state government's decision, citing the absence of any errors in the GR formulated to enhance productivity and value chain development of cotton, soybean, and other oilseeds.

The court rejected claims that the state agency procurement process was flawed and emphasized that the petitioners, aiming to protect private interests, should not obstruct broader schemes designed to benefit farmers. The bench noted that the claims made by the petitioners created hurdles in the state plan's effective implementation and hence warranted dismissal with costs.