Thiru Arooran Sugars Limited v. The Agriculture Production Commissioner And Secretary
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED: 11.03.2026
CORAM:
THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M. DHANDAPANI W.P. No.
and W.M.P. No.8254 of 2025 Thiru Arooran Sugars Limited Thirumandangudi Unit Represented by its Authorized Signatory, Mr.R. Kandasamy ..Petitioner Vs
1. The Agriculture Production Commissioner and Secretary to Government, Secretariat Chennai 600 009.
2. The Director of Agriculture Chepauk, Chennai 600 009.
3. The Director of Sugar and Cane Commissioner 3A, Aavin Illam, Pasumpon Muthuramalinganar Salai, Nandanam, Chennai 600 035.
4. The District Collector Mayiladudurai District
5. The District Collector Thanjavur District.
6. Arignar Anna Sugar Mills, Rep. by its Chief Executive, Kurungulam Melpathi, Thanjavur District 613 303.
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7. M.R.K.Co-operative Sugar Mills, Rep.by its Managing Director/Special Officer, Sethiathope, Cuddalore District.608 702.
(R6 & R7 are Impleaded as per Order dated 07.04.2025 in WMP.14094/2025)
8. Karumbu Vivasayigal Sangam, (Regn No.13/2022), Rep. by its President, Thanga Kasinathan, No.53, Narikudi, Palakkudi.612 201, Tiruvaidaimarudhur Taluk.
(R8-impleaded as Per Order Dated 07.04.2025 in WMP No.12487/2025)
9. SNJ Distillers Pvt. Ltd., Rep. by its Director, R. Anbalagan, Having office at No.72, Greams Road, Thousand Lights, Anna Salai, Chennai - 600 006. *
10. Kothari Sugars and Chemicals Ltd., Rep. By its Deputy General Manager, "Kothari Buildings"
No.115, M.G. Salai, Nungambakkam, Chennai - 600 034. # * Impleaded as 9th respondent vide order of the Court dated 11.03.2026 in W.M.P. No.30704 of 2025 # Impleaded as 10th respondent vide order of the Court dated 11.03.2026 in W.M.P. No.44197 of 2025 ..Respondents 2/9
Prayer : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying to issue Writ of Mandamus, directing the 3rd Respondent to consider the representation dated 14.08.2024 and 06.01.2025 in pursuant to the temporary allotment of additional demarcated cane areas attached with 8 divisions namely Aalai Paguthi, Manalmedu Sirkazhi, Thiruvenkadu, Mayiladuthurai, Kuthalam, pandhanallur, Thirupanandal originally allocated to N.P.K.R.R. Co-operaive Sugar mills in favour of the Thiru. Arooran Sugars Limited, Thirumandangudi Unit (TASL) Tanjore from the planting season 20242025 within the stipulated period. For Petitioner :
G.Murugendran For Respondents:
Mr.Haja Nazirudeen Addl. Advocate General Assisted by Mr.V. Manoharan Addl. Govt. Pleader for R3 Ms.V. Yamunadevi Spl. Govt. Pleader for R1, R2, R4 and R5 Mr.S.Udayakumar, for R8 and R10 Mr.A.R. Karthik Lakshmanan for R9
ORDER
The petitioner has filed the present writ petition seeking a direction to the 3rd respondent to consider their representations dated 14.08.2024 and 06.01.2025 seeking temporary allotment of certain cane areas in favour of them for their Thirumandangudi Unit (TASL) Thanjavur District from the planting season 2024-2025.
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2. Learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that the petitioner-mill, commenced their operation at Tirumandangudi unit of Thanjavur District in the year 1989. However, the mill ceased its operation in the year 2019. Thereafter, the said company was referred to National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), Division Bench - II, Chennai, and by order dated 02.05.2022, the said unit was taken over by M/s.KALS Distilleries Pvt. Ltd., pursuant to the orders of the Tribunal. He further submitted that since the mill remained non-operational from 2019 to 2022, the cane crushing activities were not carried out during the said period. Subsequently, the plant was revived and the operations were restarted. It is submitted that the crushing capacity of the said mill is 5000 metric tonnes of cane per day, and in order to utilise the said capacity, additional cane areas are required to be allotted.
3. According to the petitioners, certain cane divisions originally belonged to N.P.K.R.R. Co-operative Sugar Mill, Thalainayiru, Mayiladuthurai District. After the closure of the said mill, those areas were temporarily allotted to M/s.Arignar Anna Sugar Mills, Kurungulam, Thanjavur District and M/s.Kothari Sugas & Chemicals Ltd., Sathamangalan, Ariyalur District and M/s.Kothari Sugars & Chemicals Ltd., Kattur, Tiruchirapalli District in the year 2019. In view of the revival of the petitioner-mill, they sought temporary allotment of certain cane areas such as Aalai Paguthi, Manalmedu, Sirkazhi, Thiruvenkadu, Mayiladuthurai, Kuthalam, Pandhanallur, Thirupanandal, which 4/9
were originally attached to N.P.K.R.R. Co-operative Sugar Mill, in favour of them viz., Thiru Aroor Sugars Ltd., Thirumandangudi Unit ("TASL") for the planting season 2024-2025.
4. In this regard, the petitioner submitted representations to the 3rd respondent on 14.08.2024 and 06.01.2025 requesting temporary allotment of the above cane areas. However, according to the petitioner, no orders have been passed on the said representations till date. Aggrieved by the inaction on the part of the respondents, the present writ petition has been filed.
5. Per contra, learned counsel appearing for the respondents including newly impleaded respondents submitted that the areas sought to be allotted by the petitioner are presently attached to other sugar mills and certain things needs to be clarified. Therefore, he submitted that before taking any decision on the petitioner's representations, the 3rd respondent may provide an opportunity of hearing to the impleading petitioners and other interested sugar mills and thereafter pass appropriate orders.
6. This Court has considered the submissions made on either side and perused the materials available on record. It appears that the petitioner has already submitted representations seeking temporary allotment of certain cane areas. Since the said request involves consideration of competing claims and interests of other sugar mills, this Court is of the view that the matter requires 5/9
due consideration by the competent authority after providing an opportunity to all concerned parties.
7. In view of the above, without expressing any opinion on the merits of the claim made by the petitioner, this Court directs the 3rd respondent to consider the petitioner's representations dated 14.08.2024 and 06.01.2025, and pass appropriate orders on merits and in accordance with law after providing due opportunity to the petitioner as well other beneficiary sugar mills / respondents. Such exercise shall be completed within a period of eight weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order.
8. With the above directions, the writ petition stands disposed of. No costs. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petition is closed. 11.03.2026 Note : Registry is directed to issue order copy after carrying out necessary amendment.
Index:Yes/No Speaking/Non-speaking order vsi2 6/9
To :
1. The Agriculture Production Commissioner and Secretary to Government, Secretariat Chennai 600 009.
2. The Director of Agriculture Chepauk, Chennai 600 009.
3. The Director of Sugar and Cane Commissioner 3A, Aavin Illam, Pasumpon Muthuramalinganar Salai, Nandanam, Chennai 600 035.
4. The District Collector Mayiladudurai District
5. The District Collector Thanjavur District.
6. Arignar Anna Sugar Mills, Rep. by its Chief Executive, Kurungulam Melpathi, Thanjavur District 613 303.
7. M.R.K.Co-operative Sugar Mills, Rep.by its Managing Director/Special Officer, Sethiathope, Cuddalore District.608 702.
8. Karumbu Vivasayigal Sangam, (Regn No.13/2022), Rep. by its President, Thanga Kasinathan, No.53, Narikudi, Palakkudi.612 201, Tiruvaidaimarudhur Taluk.
(R8-impleaded as Per Order Dated 07.04.2025 in WMP No.12487/2025) 7/9
9. SNJ Distillers Pvt. Ltd., Rep. by its Director, R. Anbalagan, Having office at No.72, Greams Road, Thousand Lights, Anna Salai, Chennai - 600 006.
10. Kothari Sugars and Chemicals Ltd., Rep. By its Deputy General Manager, "Kothari Buildings"
No.115, M.G. Salai, Nungambakkam, Chennai - 600 034.
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M. DHANDAPANI, J.
vsi2 W.P. No.
and W.M.P. No.8254 of 2025 11.03.2026 (2/2) 9/9