IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

DATED: 27-11-2025

CORAM

THE HONOURABLE MR JUSTICE M.DHANDAPANI

WP No. 19895 of 2020, 2285 & 2295 of 2021

AND

WMP Nos. 24559, 24560 of 2020, WMP Nos.2579 & 2580 of 2021, WMP

Nos. 2595 & 2596 of 2021, & WMP No. 26659 of 2024

***

W.P No.19895 of 2020

1. The Nilgiris Bought Leaf

Manufactures’ Association

Represented by its President,

No.9, Mount Road, Conoor-643 102,

The Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu.

Petitioner(s)

Vs

1. The Chairman

Tea Board of India and Registering

Authority, 14, B.T.M.Sarani (Brabourne

Road), Kolkata 700 001

2.Executive Director

Tea Board of India, Shelwood, Cloub

Road, Coonoor-642 192,

Nilgiris 643 101

3.Ministry of Commerce and Industry

Rep. by its Joint Secretary,

Government of India, New Delhi.

4.Ministry of Health and Family

Welfare

Represented by Its Joint Secretary, Government of India, New Delhi.

(R-3, R-4 were impleaded vide Order

Dt.18.03.2024 made in WMP

No.3170/2024 )

5.Nilgiri Nelikolu Micro And Small Tea Growers And Farmers Development Society (Reg.No.101/2013), No.13/156-E, Kekkatty Village, Ellanayi Post, The Nilgiris – 643 243, Rep. by its Secretary. (R5 was Impleaded vide Order Dated

08.07.2025 made In WMP.3193/2024)

Respondent(s)

WP No. 2285 of 2021

1. B.N.Boobesh S/o. Nanjan, No.20/B/123 Hosatty, Kairbetta Village, Kotagiri, Nilgiris 643 217

2.Devaraj S/o. Basavaraj, 2/60, Ajjoor, Kagguchi, Nilgiris 643 214

3.K.Jayaraj S/o. Krishnan, 5/25, Ebbanad Iduhutty, Nilgiris 643 002 4.K.Shanmugam S/o. Krishnan, 2/11, Ajjoor, Kagguchi, Nilgiris 643 214

5.Sundaram K S/o. Krishnan, 2/224, Ajjoor, Kagguchi, Nilgiris 643 214

6.Sekaran S/o. Ganesan, 2/185, Ajjoor, Kagguchi, Nilgiris 643 214

7.S.Ravi S/o. Sadaku, 2/212, Ajjoor, Kagguchi, Nilgiris 643 214

8.Kumar S/o. Lakshmanan, 2/295, Ajjoor, Kagguchi, Nilgiris 643 214

9.Nandhakumar S/o. Mallam, 2/23, Kattapettu, Kagguchi, Nilgiris 643 214

10.E.Kumar S/o. Eran, 2/214 Ajjoor, Kagguchi, Nilgiris 643 214 Petitioner(s)

Vs

1. The Chairman Tea Board of India and Registering Authority, 14, B.T.M. Sarani (Brabourne Road), Kolkata 700 001

2.Executive Director Tea Board of India, Shelwood, Cloub Road, Coonoor, Nilgiris 643 101 Respondent(s)

WP No. 2295 of 2021

1. K.Devaraj S/o. Kakkamallan, 2/266, Ajjoor, Kagguchi, Nilgiris 643 214 The Nilgiris

2.Desingaraj S/o. Ramalingam, 2/73, Ajjoor, Kagguchi, Nilgiris 643 214

3.Lakshmanan S/o. Desing, 2/74, Ajjoor, Kagguchi, Nilgiris 643 214

4.Thangu S/o. Sellaya, 3/97, Dheenatty, Masakkal, Nilgiris 643 217

5.Manigandan Thangaraj S/o. Thangarajan, 3/97, Dheenatty, Masakkal, Nilgiris 643 217

6.M.B.John Kumar S/o. Belli, 15/521, Mynily Conoor, Nilgiris 643 101

7.Chandran S/o. Bojan, 5/241, Thuneri, Nilgiris 643 002

8.R.Shivanshankaran S/o. Raman, Beragal, Thuneri, Nilgiris 643 002

9.Shanthosh S/o. Devaraj, Kagguchi, Nilgiris 643 214 Petitioner(s)

Vs

1. The Chairman Tea Board of India and Registering Authority, 14, B.T.M. Sarani (Brabourne Road), Kolkata 700 001

2.Executive Director Tea Board of India, Shelwood, Cloub Road, Coonoor, Nilgiris 643 101 Respondent(s)

COMMON PRAYER Writ Petitions filed under Article 226 of Constitution of India, to issue a Writ of Certiorari, calling for the records of Impugned Circular vide No. 12(23) / LC / 2006 / XV dated 23.2.2006 issued by the 1st Respondent Board and quash the same.

For Petitioner(s) : Mr.E. Manoharan in W.P Nos.19895 of 2020 & 2295 of 2021 For Petitioners in W.P No.2285 of 2021: Mr.T.Mohan, Senior Counsel for M/s.S.Karthikei Balan For R1 & R2 :Mr.A.R.L.Sundaresan, Additional in all WPs. Solicitor General, Assisted by Mr.K.Ramanamoorthy, Central Government Counsel For R3 & R4 M/s. V.Chandrasekaran,SPC For R5 M/s. R.Sivakumar

COMMON ORDER

These three writ petitions have been filed, challenging the impugned Circular vide No.12(23)/LC/2006/XV dated 23.02.2006 issued by the 1^st respondent Board and seeking to quash the same.

2.The case of the petitioners is that they are small Tea Growers and Bought Leaf Factories. The Nilgiris Bought Leave Manufacturer’s Association consist of members who are private small scale f