Atul Kumar Agrawal Vs the Union of India

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2025:CGHC:28712

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NAFR

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HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH, BILASPUR WPC No. 2865 of 2025

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Atul Kumar Agrawal (Partner M/s Shri Balaji Foods ) S/o Rajkumar Agrawal Aged About 46 Years R/o H.No. 118, Ward No. 7, Ram Mandir Road Tahsil Sakti District- Sakti (C.G.) Firms Address - Village Nandaurkhurd Branch Post Office Tahisl - Sakti District - Sakti (C.G.)

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... Petitioner(s)

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versus

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1 - The Union Of India Through Deputy Secretary, Minsitry Of Consumer Affairs, Food And Public Distribution Department Of Food And Public Distribution , Krishi Bhawan New Delhi

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2 - State Of Chhattisgrh Through Secretary, Department Of Food, Civil Supplies And Consumer Protection Mahanadi Bhawan Mantralaya New Raipur Atal Nagar District- Raipur (C.G.)

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3 - Managing Director Chhattisgarh State Market Federation Maryadit Atal Nagar Naya Raipur District - Raipur (C.G.)

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4 - C.G. State Civil Supplies Corporation Limited Sakti District - Sakti (C.G.)

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5 - Collector (Food Department Sakti District - Sakti (C.G.)

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6 - District Marketing Officer Department Of Food Civil Supplies And Consumer Protection Sakti District- Sakti (C.G.)

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7 - Food Corporation Of India (Fci) Regional Office Mova Vidhan Sabha Marg Raipur District - Raipur (C.G.)

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8 - Food Corporation Of India (Fci) Division Office Bilaspur District - Bilaspur (C.G.)

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... Respondent(s)

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For Petitioner	: Ms. Reena Singh, Advocate.
For Respondent/UIO	: Mr. Ramakant Mishra, Dy. SG.
For Respondent/State	: Ms. Upasana Mehta, PL.
For Respondent-MARKFED	: Mr. Shreyansh Mehta, Advocate
For Respondent-FCI	: Mr. RS Patel, Advocate

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Hon'ble Shri Justice Arvind Kumar Verma Order on Board

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27/06/2025

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The petitioner has filed this writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India seeking following reliefs :

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“ 10. (i). That, this Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to direct the concerned respondent to activate Wings App and Miller Id of the petitioner and accept the remaining balance of CMR of 1766.869 Quintals of Kharif year 202324 in the light of notification dated 29.05.2025 issued by respondent no.03 (whereby the time to deposit the CMR of the year 2023-24 has been further extended till 30.06.2025), and further protect the petitioner from confiscation of the bank guarantee/ FDR and Post Dated Cheques of the petitioner deposited as security with the bank for this Kharif year 2023-24.

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(ii) This Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to grant any other relief(s)/ writ(s), order(s) for protecting the rights

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of the petitioner, which the Hon'ble Court deemed fit & just in the facts & circumstances of the case.”

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Facts relevant for disposal of this writ petition are that the petitioner entered into a contract under the Custom Milling Policy for the Kharif Marketing Year 2023-24 with the District Marketing Officer, acting on behalf of the Chhattisgarh State Co-operative Association Limited. The petitioner is aggrieved by inaction on the part of the concerned respondents-authorities, whereby the concerned respondent is not accepting the balance of Custom Milled Rice (CMR) 1766.869 Quintals of the petitioner, even after the notification dated 29.05.2025 issued by respondent no.3, whereby the concerned respondents have been directed to accept the CMR of Kharif year 2023-24 from the rice miller till 30.06.2025. The non-acceptance of CMR of 2023-24 of the petitioner by the concerned respondent is completely against the principle of natural justice and is bad in the eyes of law. Hence this petition.

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Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that online portal has been closed, as such, the petitioner is not able to deposit the Custom Milled Rice (CMR) for the current Year 2023-24, there is no fault on the part of the petitioner, hence, necessary/appropriate direction may

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be issued to the concerned respondents-authorities in this regard. She further drew attention to this Court to Annexure P-4 dated 17.01.2025, which is extracted herein-below:

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NRrhlx<+ jkT; lgdkjh foi.ku la?k e;kZfnr ( N-x- )

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N-xxqatu Ldqy ds lkeus] LVs’ku jksM] ftyk dk;kZy; lDrh ( ) दि�नां��क 17.01.2025

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ekg vDVqcj 2024 ds nkSjku gq, la;qDr HkkSfrd lR;kiu ds nkSjku fuEufyf[kr vjok fey es a PV lacaf/kr vkifRr;ka ikbZ xbZ Fkh ftldk fooj.k ,oa vkifRr fuokj.k @ Li"Vhdj.k fuEukuqlkj gS &

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dz -	feyj dk uke	HkkSfrd lR;kiu ds nkSjku ntZ vkifRr;ka		Li"Vhdj.k
1	SHRI BALA JI FOODS (MA697918)	6655 B/S Shortage	Ekkg lR;ki iznk; vk/kkj	vDVqcj dk HkkSfrd u dk;Z feyj }kjk lsYQ fMDysjslu ds ij fd;k x;k ,oa
2	SHRI SATI DADI AGRO (MA698402)	6426 B/S Shortage	fnlacj esa cksjs gq, A	ekg dhPVesa fey Ik;kZIr la[;k esa izkIr
3	SHRI SHYAM RICE MILL (MA549515)	Data Not Provide by concerned Miller	feyj dks ls djk;k la;qDr rFkk I CMR	}kjk fnukad 16-10-2024 YQ fMDysjslu miyC/k x;k ftld s Ik’pkr ny }kjk tkap dh xbZ k;kZIr /kku feyu s ij tek fd;k x;k A
4	SHRI SHYAM RICE MILL (MA544394)	Data Not Provided by concerned miller	Ukoacj feyj djk;s feyus x;k A	PVds nkSjku lacaf/kr }kjk nLrkost miyC/k x, rFkk Ik;kZIr /kku ijCMRtek fd;k

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ekg vDVqcj 2024 ds nkSjku gq, la;qDr HkkSfrd lR;kiu ds nkSjku fuEufyf[kr mluk fey esa PV lacaf/kr vkifRr;ka ikbZ xbZ Fkh ftldk fooj.k ,oa vkifRr fuokj.k @ Li"Vhdj.k fuEukuqlkj gS &

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dz- feyj dk uke	HkkSfrd lR;kiu ds Li"Vhdj.k

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		nkSjku ntZ vkifRr;ka
1	SHRI RADHA RAMAN AGRAWAL (MA545957)	6655 B/S Shortage	=qfVo’k la;qDr PV lnL;ks a }kjk67% OTR vk/kkj ij x.kuk dh x;h Fkh ftls xyrh dk /;ku gksus ij 68% OTR ij dSYdqysV fd;k x;k ,oa cksjs cjkcj ik, x,A
2	MS SHRI SHIV RICE MILL (MA549286)	1152 B/S Shortage	feyj }kjk fnukad 16-10- 2024 dks =qfV lq/kkj lacaf/kr i= miy/k djk;k x;k Fkk] ftlds i'pkr la;qDr ny }kjk fnukad 18-10-2024 dks tkap dh xbZ ,oa iw.kZ /kku feyus ij feyj }kjk CMRtek fd;k x;k A

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mijksDr of.kZr leLr feyj }kjk tkudkjh ds vHkko ,oa ykijokgh ds dkj.k lsYQ fMDysjs’ku esa xyr tkudkjh nh xbZ Fkh rFkk nks feylZ }kjk lsYQ fMDysjs’ku ugh miyC/k djk;k x;k Fkk] xyrh dk /;ku gksus ij feylZ }kjk lgh tkudkjh miyC/k djkbZ xbZ ,oa /kku x.kukRed voLFkk esa yk;k x;k rFkk iqu% HkkSfrd lR;kiu djus ij la;qDr ny dks Ik;kZIr ek=k e a s /kku izkIr gqvk ,oa lR;kiu Ik’pkr gh feylZ dk CMR Lohdkj fd;k x;k foaXl ID KMS (23-24 ,oa 24-25) dk CMR ysus gsrq iqu % ,fDVosV dh tk ldrh gS A

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Learned counsel appearing for the respective respondents submit that the petition is premature as when the last date fixed is 30.06.2025 for depositing the Custom Milled Rice (CMR) for the current Year 2023-24 then the petitioner, instead of depositing the same before the respondents authorities, has rushed to this Court. The petitioner should have approached the authorities for depositing the CMR as per the notification dated 29.05.2025.

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Learned counsel for the Mark-Fed submits that in view of the correspondence dated 26.03.2025 bearing reference No.4-9/2024/29-1 issued by State of Chhattisgarh to Mark-Fed regarding shortage of CMR for KMS 2023-24, there is an express direction from the State Government that the rice to be deposited in the State pool shall be exclusive of the shortage identified during the Joint Physical Verification (JPV).

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Heard learned counsel appearing for the parties and perused the material/documents available on record.

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Considering facts of the case, pleadings made in the writ petition, submissions of counsel for the respective parties, further the fact that notification was issued on 29.05.2025 and last date for depositing the CMR is extended upto 30.06.2025, as such, without entering into the merits of the case, it is directed that the balance Customed Milled Rice (CMR) be allowed to be deposited by the petitioner on 30.06.2025, subject to abovementioned correspondence and verification of the quantity and quality of the rice and shortage if any etc. If the online portal is not opened, it may be opened so that the petitioner may deposit the rice in the State Pool.

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