Baramati Agro moves HC against mandatory deposit to CM Relief Fund for cane crushing

Baramati Agro, a sugar-producing company headed by CEO and NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar, has moved the Bombay High Court challenging the state government’s decision to mandate a per-tonne deposit for sugarcane crushing towards the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund and two other welfare bodies, arguing that the directive lacks legislative backing.

The petition contests an October 27, 2025, order issued by the Maharashtra Commissioner of Sugar directing all sugar factories to deposit Rs 10 per tonne to the CM Relief Fund, Rs 5 per tonne to the Flood Relief Fund, and Rs 10 per tonne to the Gopinath Munde Sugarcane Workers Welfare Corporation from the 2025-2026 crushing season. The order also states that crushing licences will not be issued unless these deposits are made. Senior counsel Girish Godbole told the court that making licence issuance conditional on such payments is “onerous” and unsupported by law.

A vacation bench of Justice Manjusha Deshpande directed the state to process Baramati Agro’s crushing licence after the company agreed to deposit 50 per cent of the contribution due to the CM Relief Fund and the Corporation within three days. The court also directed the company to deposit 50 per cent of the levy towards the Flood Relief Fund.

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“In the meanwhile, the authority shall process the Crushing Licence of the petitioner in view of the undertaking given by the petitioner. It is made clear that if the petitioner eventually succeeds, this court would be inclined to pass an order to refund the amount along with reasonable interest,” the court said.

The court has issued notice to the state, seeking its reply before November 13.