Sanjay Kumar vs The State of Bihar

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
Civil Writ Jurisdiction Case No.3121 of 2026
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Sanjay Kumar Son of Kailash Ray, Resident of Village- Karnaul Chaturbhuj,
P.O- Kurnowl, P.S- Sahebganj, District- Muzaffarpur.
... ... Petitioner/s
Versus
1. The State of Bihar through the Chief Secretary, Government of Bihar, Patna.
2. The Principal Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Government of Bihar,
Patna.
3. The District Magistrate cum Collector, District Muzaffarpur.
4. The Block Development Officer, Sahebganj Block, District Muzaffarpur.
... ... Respondent/s
======================================================
Appearance :
For the Petitioner/s : Mr. Abhay Kumar Mishra, Advocate
Mr. Sonu Singh, Advocate
For the Respondent/s : Mr. S.D. Sanjay, Advocate General
Mr. Mohit Agarwal, AC to AG
======================================================
CORAM: HONOURABLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE
and
HONOURABLE JUSTICE SMT. SONI SHRIVASTAVA
ORAL JUDGMENT
(Per: HONOURABLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE)
Date : 03-07-2026
In pursuance to the order dated 01.07.2026,
District Magistrate, Muzaffarpur, District Agriculture Officer,
Muzaffarpur, Block Development Officer, Sahebganj,
Muzaffarpur, and the Director, Agriculture Department,
Government of Bihar, are present today through virtual
mode.
2 . This instant Public Interest Litigation has

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been filed by the petitioner for disbursement of the
agricultural input subsidy/compensation under the
SDRF/NDRAF norms to destitute farmers whose ready
paddy crops was severely submerged and destroyed during
the Kharif season, 2025 due to excessive rainfall, caused by
‘ Montha Cyclone’ on 02.10.2025.
3 . It is alleged by the petitioner that while
official physical assessment quantified, the damage in
Sahebganj Block, District- Muzaffarpur, across 4,552
hectares as amounting to Rs. 7,38,40,000/- and reports
were sent to the State Government on 05.12.2025, the
compensation was unlawfully withheld because the online
Direct Benefit Transfer Application Portal was technically
never opened for the Sahebganj Block farmers, District-
Muzaffarpur. The State subsequently attempted to refuse
the relief by citing the commencement of Rabi re-
cultivation season.
4 . The prayers in the Public Interest Litigation
are as follows:-
“ i . Issue an appropriate writ,
order or direction directing the
respondents, including the
respondent no. 2 (competent
State authority) to take an
immediate decision on the
assessment reports forwarded
vide letter no. 3413 dated
05.12.2025 and to release the
assessed compensation amount
under SDRF/NDARF norms for
crop loss caused due to

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excessive rainfall and flood-like
situation on 02.10.2025 within a
stipulated time period.
ii . Direct the respondents to
identify and extend benefits to
all eligible beneficiaries.
iii . Direct the respondents to
frame a time-bound mechanism
for grievance redressal.
iv . Call for records relating to
implementation of the scheme.
v . Pass any other order(s) as this
Hon'ble Court may deem fit in
the interest of justice.
vi . Pending final disposal of the
writ petition, this Hon'ble Court
may kindly direct the
respondents to consider the
claims of eligible beneficiaries
and not to exclude them
arbitrarily.”
5 . It is submitted by the learned Advocate
General that pursuant to the grievances expressed in the
petition, apart from other affidavits, two affidavits have
been filed by the State respondents one dated 24.06.2026
and the other dated 02.07.2026.
6 . The learned Advocate General has invited
the attention of this Court to various paragraphs of the
affidavit, dated 02.07.2026. It is inter alia informed therein
that the supplementary affidavit is being filed in
compliance to the Orders of this Court, dated 12.05.2026,
14.05.2026 and the subsequent Order, dated 24.06.2026,
whereby this Court had required the State response to be
placed on record.

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7 . That, pursuant to the Order, dated
12.05.2025, a Three-Member Committee was constituted
on 13.05.2026, for examination of the report received from
the District Magistrate, Muzaffarpur regarding the alleged
crop loss. The Committee conducted a field inspection and
called for all relevant records supporting such claims.
During the inquiry, the Committee also called upon the
concerned authorities as well as the claimants to produce
contemporaneous records relating to the alleged crop loss
including authenticated applications, verification records,
photographs, official reports and other documentary
materials, which would help in assessing and establishing
eligibility of the applicable Government Scheme.
8 . It was also clarified that the Committee had
been specifically directed to (i) identify the farmers
claiming crop loss (ii) to undertake field inspection (iii) to
verify such claims on the basis of available official records
and contemporaneous documents and (iv) to submit its
report within the stipulated period. Consequently, after the
field verification was conducted and all necessary measures
taken, the Committee submitted its report.
9 . It is submitted by learned Advocate General
that compensation under the Scheme has already been
disbursed to verified eligible beneficiaries identified through
the prescribed process. Accordingly, the total applications
received were 66,073, of which 56,152 were found eligible

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and the amount transferred during D.B.T. (Direct Benefit
Transfer) is Rs. 33,21,51,844/-.
10 . The District Magistrate, Muzaffarpur
forwarded a subsequent communication bearing Letter No.
341, dated 05.12.2025 containing a revised district level
assessment relating to crop loss in certain additional areas.
An inquiry was conducted, however, no further
authenticated beneficiaries could be identified on the basis
of the available records and verification undertaken by the
Committee. Hence, there has been a compliance of the
directions of this Court as contained in the Orders, dated
12.05.2026 and 14.05.2026 by conducting the inquiry and
the findings submitted.
11 . Learned counsel for the petitioner submits
that in fact the D.B.T. (Direct Benefit Transfer) could not
take place in, Sahebganj Block, District Muzaffarpur and the
delayed applications were on account of the non-opening of
the portal in Sahebganj. Hence, the matter cannot be
closed at this stage and further inquiries are to be made.
12 . Having examined the averments on record,
the affidavits filed by the parties and considering the
submissions advanced by learned counsel today we are of
the considered view that the directions of this Court as
given in the orders dated 12.05.2026, 14.05.2026 and
24.06.2026 have been duly complied with.
13 . It is essential to point out that a Public

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Interest Litigation is not adversarial litigation. As the name
itself denotes, Public Interest is for the interest of the Public
at large.
14 . Once the authorities working on behalf of
the public, have constituted a Committee pursuant to the
orders of this Court, done a field inspection, taken up all
relevant materials on records to make assessments as
required and have come to the finding that all essentials
have been complied with, this Court cannot go into a
fishing and roving inquiry into other unsubstantiated
allegations made by the petitioner. It is an impossible
proposition for a Writ Court to embark on an investigation
into all allegations made nor does the Law envisage such
steps. For that purpose, there are other agencies
established by the Government which will be able to
redress the grievances put forth by the petitioner in the
Public Interest Litigation if he is still dissatisfied by the
submissions and action taken by the State respondents.
15 . Consequently, we are of the considered
view that necessary compliance of orders have been made
and nothing further remains for adjudication in the instant
matter.
16 . The petitioner may, address his grievance
before the concerned statutory authorities, if so required
and if advised.
17 . Writ Petition in the nature of Public Interest

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Litigation being C.W.J.C. No. 3121 of 2026, stands dismissed
and disposed of with the above observations.
18 . The Interlocutory application(s), if any, also
stand disposed of.


(Meenakshi Madan Rai, CJ)
(Soni Shrivastava, J)
guddukr/-
AFR/NAFR
CAV DATE
Uploading Date 07.07.2026
Transmission Date