Adimjati Seva Sahkari Samiti Maryadit Sonarpal v. State of Chhattisgarh
Paddy procurement – cooperative procurement societies (Bastar/Bijapur districts)
Case brief
What is this about?
High Court of Chhattisgarh (Amitendra Kishore Prasad, J.; order dated 06/07/2026) disposed of 11 clubbed writ petitions (WPC Nos. 3431, 3433, 3434, 3439, 3442, 3443, 3444, 3446, 3449, 3451, 3463 of 2026) filed by paddy procurement cooperative societies of Bastar and Bijapur seeking restraint of recovery of paddy weight shortage caused by driage due to delayed lifting/transportation by MARKFED and State authorities. Held: Paddy Procurement Policy 2025-2026 (clauses 15.9, 16.3) allows no dryage benefit; arbitration Clause 13 of the procurement Agreement is an alternative and efficacious remedy; petitioners relegated to arbitration; no opinion on merits. Case referred (by petitioners): Bhagwan Singh Rathore v. State of Chhattisgarh, WPC No. 2324 of 2026. Constitution Articles 14, 19(1)(g), 21, 300A raised by petitioners.
What did the court decide?
Writ petitions disposed of with directions: petitioners may raise their disputes before the appropriate authority under the arbitration clause of the Agreement, and the concerned authorities are directed to consider and decide any such arbitration reference in accordance with law, after affording due opportunity of hearing and by a reasoned order; no restraint on recovery granted; merits left open.