UP to file SLP in apex court against HC order

Lucknow, Nov 15 (UNI) Uttar Pradesh government will file a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court against the interim order given by the Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court in the writ petition of the sugar mills.

The state government, with an objective to provide remunerative prices to sugarcane growers, had announced State Advised Prices (SAP) for sugarcane for the 2007-08 crushing season.

According to the announcement, the prices for the 'anupyukt prajatis' had been fixed at Rs 122.50 per quintal, for common variety sugarcane, it was Rs 125 per quintal and for 'agaiti prajatis', it was Rs 130 per quintal.

The sugar mills had challenged the state government's SAP in the HC.

Those, who had challenged the government's SAP included East UP Sugar Mills Association and others, M/s Modi Sugar Mill and others and SBEC Sugar Ltd and others.

They had contended that sugar mills would incur a loss of about Rs 5,000 crore following the government's SAP.

The Lucknow Bench heard the writ today and issued the interim order saying that the sugarmills would pay the sugar price at the rate of Rs 110 per quintal till further orders and they should start functioning immediately.

A bench comprising Justices U K Dhawan and S S Chauhan had passed the order.

The state government has therefore, decided to challenge HC's interim order in the Supreme Court by filing an SLP.

UNI