Abinaya Tea Produce Company v. Tea Board Of India
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED : 25.06.2026 CORAM :
THE HONOURABLE MR.SUSHRUT ARVIND DHARMADHIKARI, CHIEF JUSTICE AND THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE G.ARUL MURUGAN W.P.Nos.30998,31000,31001,30999,31002,31201 to 31204,32364,32365,32837,32838 of 2017, W.P.Nos.23981 to 23985,24868,24869 of 2018 & W.P.Nos.616,624,628,1005,1008,1011,1071,2533,20351,22925, 22948,22960,22944,22931,22929,22964,22967,22972,22975,22978, 22957,22954,22951,24825,25118,25140,25053,25059,24830,24846, 24855,25063,25129,26152,26175,26160,26171,26318,26335,26325, 26332 of 2019 AND W.M.P.Nos.33965,33966,33969,33968,33971,33960,33959,33962, 33963,33972,34252,34253,34255,34256,34259,34258,34261,34262, 35653,35654,35656,35657,36186,36187 of 2017, W.M.P.Nos.27925,27930,27931,27929,27932,27933,27934,27936, 27935,27937,27923,27924,27926,27927,27928,28905,28906,28907, 28909,28910 of 2018, W.M.P.Nos.
660,664,676,677,680,683,1122,1119,1121,1126,1124, 1125,1129,1128,1130,1204,1201,1203,2811,2814,2816,19693, 22568,22573,22575,22586,22587,22591,22592,22593,22594,22597, 22598,22600,22601,22563,22603,22604,22609,22607,22617,22616, 22621,22620,22623,22624,22630,22629,22565,22562,24692,24691, 24688,24698,24696,24699,24449,24451,24447,24456,24457,24455, 24471,24473,24470,24475,24476,24478,24624,24622,24621,24631, 24633,24639,24682,24685,24684,24629,24638,24637,25519,25532, 25520,25524,25525,25531,25536,25537,25677,25679,25673,25669, 25672,25680,25683,25682,25684,25689,25686,25688,30741, 30742 of 2019 & W.M.P.Nos.
W.P.No.30998 of 2017 :
Abinaya Tea Produce Co. Pvt. Ltd., Rep. by its Managing Director Doddacombai, Mangoor, The Nilgiris District Petitioner(s) Vs
1. Tea Board of India Rep. by Executive Director, Shell Wood, Club Road, P B No.6, Coonoor Nilgiris- 643 101 2.The District Collector/Chairman, District Green Leaf Price Monitoring Committee (DGLPMC), The Nilgiris District 3.Paramount Tea Marketing (SI) P. Ltd, 65/1/A, Club Road, Coonoor- 643 101, Nilgiris Respondent(s) PRAYER: Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India seeking issuance of a writ of certiorarified mandamus calling for the records of the 1st respondent in Order Ref No.6(257)/ TMCO/ CNR/ 04/ 2463 dated 16.11.2017 and quash the same.
Writ Petitions Petitioner(s) Respondent(s) Counsel Counsel WP.Nos.30998, 31000, 31001, 30999 & 31002 of Mr.Arun Dhanapalan Mr. Bala Manimaaran Central Government Standing Counsel for R1 in W.P.Nos.30998, 31000, 31001 & 31002 of 2017 Mr. K.Kumaran, Government Pleader for R2 in all WPs Mrs. Anuraj Rajagopalan for Mr. Anirudh Krishnan for R3 in W.P.No.30998 of 2017 Mr. K.Ramanamoorthy, Senior Panel Counsel for R3 in W.P.Nos.31001& 31002 of 2017 R1 - No Appearance in W.P.No.30999 of 2017 in all WPs
Writ Petitions Petitioner(s) Respondent(s) Counsel Counsel R3 - No Appearance in W.P.Nos.31000 & 31002 of 2017 WP.Nos.31201, 31202, 31203 & 31204 of 2017 Mr. Bala Manimaaran Central Government Standing Counsel for R1 in W.P.Nos.31201 & 31202 & 31204 of 2017 Mr. K.Ramanamoorthy Senior Panel Counsel for R1 in W.P.No.31203 of 2017 Mr. K.Kumaran, Government Pleader for R2 in W.P.Nos.31201, 31202, 31203 & 31204 of 2017 Mrs. Anuraj Rajagopalan for Mr. Anirudh Krishnan for R3 in W.P.No.31201 of 2017 R3 - No Appearance in W.P.Nos.31202, 31203 & 31204 of 2017 WP.Nos.32364 & 32365 of 2017 Mr. K.Gangadaran Central Government Standing Counsel for R1 in both WPs WP.Nos.32837 & 32838 of 2017 Mr.John Zachariah in Mr. K.Gangadaran Central Government Standing Counsel for R1 in both WPs both WPs WP.Nos.23981, 23982, 23983, 23984 & 23985 of Mr.K.
Ramanamoorthy, Senior Panel Counsel for R1 in all WPs Mr. K.Kumaran, Government Pleader for R2 in all WPs R3 - No Appearance in all WPs WP.Nos.24868 & 24869 of 2018 Mr. K.Ramanamoorthy, Senior Panel Counsel for R1 in both WPs R2 and R3 - No Appearance in both WPs WP.Nos.616, 624 & 628 of 2019 Mr. K.Gangadaran Central Government Standing Counsel for R1 in all WPs Mr. K.Kumaran, Government Pleader for R2 in all WPs R3 - No Appearance in all WPs Mr. Arun Dhanapalan in all WPs WP.Nos.1005, 1008, 1011 & Mr. K.Gangadaran Central Government Standing Counsel for R1 in W.P.Nos.1005, 1008 & 1011 of 2019 Mr. K.Ramanamoorthy Senior Panel Counsel for R1 in W.P.No.1071 of 2019 Mr. K.Kumaran, Government Pleader for R2 in all WPs R3 - No Appearance in all WPs WP.No.2533 of Mr.Arun Dhanapalan Mr. K.
Gangadaran, Central Government Standing Counsel for R1 Mr. K.Kumaran, Government Pleader for R2 R3 - No Appearance WP.No.20351 of No appearance Mr. K.
Writ Petitions Petitioner(s) Respondent(s) Counsel Counsel Mrs. Anuraj Rajagopalan for Mr. Anirudh Krishnan for R4 WP.Nos.22925, 22948, 22960, 22944, 22931, 22929, 22964, 22967, 22972, 22975, 22978, 22957, 22954 & 22951 of 2019 R1 - No Appearance in all W.Ps Mr. K.Kumaran, Government Pleader for R2 and R3 in all W.Ps WP.Nos.24825, 25118, 25140, 25053, 25059, 24830, 24846, 24855, 25063 & 25129 of 2019 Mr.Bala Manimaaran, Central Government Standing Counsel for R1 in W.P.Nos. 24825, 25118, 25140, 25053, 25059, 24846, 24855, 25063 & 25129 of 2019 Mr.K.Gangadaran, Central Government Standing Counsel for R1 in W.P.No.24830 of 2019 Mr.K.Kumaran, Government Pleader for R2 and R3 in all W.Ps Mr.Arun Dhanapalan in all W.Ps WP.Nos.26152, 26175, 26160 & 26171 of 2019 R1 - No Appearance in all W.Ps.
Mr. K.Kumaran, Government Pleader for R2 in all W.Ps Mrs. Anuraj Rajagopalan for Mr. Anirudh Krishnan for R3 in W.P.Nos.26152 & 26171 of 2019 WP.Nos.26318, 26335, 26325 & 26332 of 2019 R1 to R3 - No Appearance in all W.Ps.
COMMON ORDER (Made by the Hon'ble Chief Justice) Since common questions of law and facts are involved in these cases, we heard these matters analogously and we are passing this common order.
2. The issue raised in all these writ petitions is squarely covered by a decision of a Co-ordinate Bench of this Court dated 05.11.2019 passed in W.P.No.29406 of 2017 and connected writ petitions. The operative portion of the said order is reproduced below: "6. We find some considerable force in the submission of the learned counsel appearing for the first respondent-Tea Board. The interest of the individual and the small farmers cannot be lost sight of. In such view of the matter, to protect the interest of all the parties, we deem it appropriate to direct the petitioners to pay 50% of the amount disputed in the impugned orders to the respective farmers within a period of 12 weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order.
The farmers will have to give an undertaking that they would repay the difference amount, if lesser amount is fixed by the first respondent-Tea Board, after considering the relevant materials as directed above. The first respondent-Tea Board is also directed to issue individual notices to the petitioners indicating the difference amount payable till the month of November, 2019. This will have to be done within a period of four weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. We make it clear that till the entire process is completed as indicated above the disputed amount shall not be recovered from the petitioners. However, this arrangement is only till the final decision by the first respondent-Tea Board.
The first respondent-Tea Board is also at liberty to determine the out turn percentage with an anterior date and we do not wish to say anything on this aspect. It is needless to state that the payment of remaining amount would be depending upon the decision of the first respondent-Tea Board.
7. These writ petitions stand disposed of accordingly. No costs. Consequently, connected writ miscellaneous petitions are closed."
The aforesaid order shall mutatis mutandis apply to the present batch cases.
3. If at all any final order has been passed by the Tea Board after the aforesaid decision, the payments would be effected as per the final order, or else, the interim arrangement made in the aforesaid decision shall continue to operate.
4. With the aforesaid direction, these writ petitions are disposed of. There shall be no order as to costs. Connected interim applications are closed.
(SUSHRUT ARVIND DHARMADHIKARI, CJ) (G.ARUL MURUGAN, J) 25.06.2026 Index :
Yes/No :
Yes/No gya/Jeni
To 1.Executive Director Tea Board of India Shell Wood, Club Road, P B No.6, Coonoor Nilgiris- 643 101 2.The District Collector/Chairman, District Green Leaf Price Monitoring Committee (DGLPMC), The Nilgiris District
THE HON'BLE CHIEF JUSTICE AND G.ARUL MURUGAN,J.
gya W.P.No.30998 of 2017 etc. batch .06.2026