2025:BHC-AS:12379-DB Digitally signed by PRASHANT PRASHANT VILAS RANE VILAS Date: RANEVidya A2 2m0

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2 :4i5n7 .0 :2 3 4 .17 +0530 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION WRIT PETITION NO. 5736 OF 2022 WITH INTERIM APPLICATION NO. 16542 OF 2022 WITH INTERIM APPLICATION (ST) NO.6057 OF 2025

1. Raju Alias Devappa Anna Shetti ) Age 54 years, Occ. Agriculturist ) Ex-Member of Parliament, Hatkanagle ) R/o. Shirol, Tal. Jaisinghpur, ) District: Kolhapur ) 2. Anil Balu Madnaik ) Age 50 years, Occ. Farmer ) R/o. Udgaon, Dist. Kolhapur ) 3. Sagar Jambu Shambushete ) Age 45 years, Occ. - Farmer ) R/o. Nandani, Dist. Kolhapur ) 4. Prakash Yashwant Desai ) Age: 47 years, Occ. Farmer ) R/o.Shirate, Taluka– Walva, Dist. - Sangli ) 5. Rajendra Balasaheb Belle ) Age: 39 years, Occ. - Farmer ) R/o. Samdoli, Taluka – Miraj, Dist.- Sangli ) 6. Rajaram Ganpati Desai ) Age 43 years, Occ. - Farmer ) R/o. Hupari, Taluka-Hatkanangale, ) Dist. - Kolhapur. ) 7. Jalinder Ganapati Patil ) Age 48 years, Occ. - Farmer ) R/o. Rashivade, Tal.- Shirol, Dist.- Kolhapur) 8. Annaso Chougule ) Age 41 years, Occ. - Farmer ) R/o. Kurundwad, Tal.Shirol, Dist.-Kolhapur)

9. Dr. Balasaheb Patil ) Age 53 years, Occ. Farmer ) R/o. Belwale, Taluka-Kagal, Dist.-Kolhapur ) 10. Suryakant Anna More ) Age 48 years, Occ.- Farmer )

R/o. Palus, District – Sangali ) …Petitioners Versus

1. The State of Maharashtra, through its ) Secretary Department of Cooperation ) Ministry of Cooperation, State of ) Maharashtra, Mantralaya, Mumbai – 01. ) 2. The Union of India ) Through its Secretary Ministry of Food and ) Civil Supplies Department of Food and ) Civil Supplies, Krishi Bhavan, New Delhi-01) 3. The Chief Director of Sugar ) Directorate of Sugar, Ministry of Food, ) Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs, ) Krishi Bhavan, New Delhi – 01. ) 4. The Sugar Commissioner, ) State of Maharashtra, Sakhar Sankul, )

Pune – 04. ) …Respondents With Maharashtra State Cooperative Sugar Factories)

Federation Ltd., thr. Administrative Officer ) …Applicant AND WRIT PETITION (St.) NO. 17248 OF 2022 Dhanaji Daragu Chudmunge … Petitioner Vs.

The State of Maharashtra, through Secretary Dept. of Cooperation & Ors. … Respondents AND WRIT PETITION NO. 11514 OF 2022 Sant Muktai Sugar and Energy Ltd. … Petitioner Vs.

Union of India & Ors. … Respondents WRIT PETITION NO. 12825 OF 2022 Baliraja Sakhar Karkhana Ltd. … Petitioner Vs.

Union of India & Ors. … Respondents WRIT PETITION NO. 12826 OF 2022 Shraddha Energy and Infra Projects Pvt. Ltd. … Petitioner Vs.

Union of India & Ors. … Respondents _______

Mr.Yogesh Pande for the Petitioner in WP/5736/2022 &

WP(ST)/17248/2022.

Mr. Ranjit Agashe a/w. Ms. Namrata Agashe, Mr. Rajendra Jain, Ms. Vinsha Acharya, Mr. Pranil Lahigade, Mr Aniket Pardeshi for the Petitioner in WP/12826/2022.

Mr. Arshad Shaikh, Senior Advocate a/w. Mr. Ranjit Agashe, Ms. Namrata Agashe, Mr. Rajendra Jain, Ms. Vinsha Acharya, Mr. Pranil Lahigade, Mr.

Aniket Pardeshi for Petitioner in WP/11514/2022.

Mr. Anil V. Anturkar, Senior Advocate a/w. Mr. Tanaji Mhatugade for Applicant in IA/16542/2022.

Ms. Priyanka Ashok Deshpande i/b Ms. Manjiri Parasnis for the Petitioner in WP/12825/2022.

Mr. Parag Vyas a/w. Mr. D.A. Dubey, Mr. Gaurang, Mr. Ashok Varma i/b Ansari for Respondent No.1/UOI for WP/11514/2022.

Mr. D.P. Singh i/b Mr. A.A. Ansari for Respondent No.1 in WP/12825/2022, WP/12826/2022.

Mr. Parag A. Vyas a/w. Mr. Gaurang Jhaveri for Respondent Nos. 2 & 3 in WP/5736/2022.

Dr. Birendra Saraf, Advocate General a/w. Ms. Neha Bhide, Government Pleader aw Mr. Vaibhav Charulwar “B” Panel Counsel aw Mr. Y.D. Patil, AGP for State.

Mr. S.R. Borulkar a/w. Mr. S.S. Borulkar in IA(St.)/6057/2025.

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CORAM: G. S. KULKARNI &

ADVAIT M. SETHNA, JJ.

RESERVED ON: 18 FEBRUARY 2025 PRONOUNCED ON: 17 MARCH 2025 JUDGMENT (Per G. S. Kulkarni, J.):-

1. This batch of petitions raise a common challenge, which is primarily to the Government Resolution dated 21 February, 2022 issued by the State Government in its