The court upheld that the rigid enforcement of registration protocols should not impede farmers' access to sell their produce, affirming the system's purpose to support farmer livelihoods.

Judgment :

A.C. Behera, J.

This writ petition under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution of India, 1950 has been filed by the petitioners praying for directing the Opposite Parties to register the names of the petitioners as farmers for selling their yield paddy of the year 2025-26. Because, their names have not been registered in PPS Portal, as farmers for selling their paddy only due to the avoidance of the Opposite Parties for non-registration of their names.

2. It is the case as well as the submissions of the learned counsel for the petitioners that, they(petitioners) had submitted their applications for registration of their names as farmers on dated 21.08.2025, which was much prior to 25.08.2025, but, sill then, the Opposite Parties did not register their names in PPS Portal as farmers. For which, they(petitioners) are not able to sell their yield paddy of this year to the Government.

To which, the learned Standing counsel for the State objected contending that, the petitioners had not submitted their applications before the Primary Paddy Procurement Society before 25.08.2025, but, they(petitioners) had approached the Secretary of the society after 25.08.2025, for which, their applications have not been registered. So, there is no illegality in registering the names of the petitioners in PPS Portal.

3. The learned counsel for the Opposite Party No.6, i.e., the Secretary of the Primary Procurement Society in the district of Jagatsinghpur argued the above same things like the learned Standing Counsel regarding the cause and reason for non-registration of the names of the petitioners in PPS Portal.

4. The petitioners are none else, but, they are farmers. They(petitioners) are eagerly interested for selling their yield paddy to the Government through the paddy procurement system of the Government for no other reason, but, only for their livelihood. As, their names have not been registered in the PPS Portal, for which, they have been debarred from selling their yield paddies of the year 2025-2026.

5. The object of the introduction of paddy procurement system of the Government for purchasing the paddy of the farmers like the petitioners is for no other purpose, but, only for the welfare and benefit of the farmers like the petitioners in order to encourage them for increasing the production capacity of the crops.

6. When, the poor farmers, i.e., the petitioners have been debarred on account of some technicalities, i.e., only for non-registration of their names in the PPS portal for selling their paddy to the Government, then at this juncture, by taking the noble object of the Paddy Procurement System of the Government into account, I find no justification to disallow the prayer of the petitioners.

For which, this writ petition filed by the petitioners is to be allowed treating this case as a special and exceptional case, to direct the Opposite Parties including the State and Collector, Jagatsinghpur to take steps permitting/allowing the petitioners to sell their paddy for the year 2025- 2026 either registering their names in the PPS Portal or through any other mode on production of the certified copy of this judgment by the petitioners before the Opposite Parties including the Collector, Jagatsinghpur(Opposite Party No.1).

7. Therefore, this writ petition filed by the petitioners is allowed.

The Opposite Parties including the Collector, Jagatsinghpur(Opposite Party No.1) are directed to permit/allow the petitioners for selling their yield paddy of the year 2025-2026 either registering their names in PPS Portal or in otherwise immediately on production of the certified copy of this judgment before the Collector, Jaga