Karnataka HC dismisses petition challenging Nandini milk price hike

The Karnataka High Court dismissed a petition by the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) challenging a milk price hike. The court ruled that such commercial decisions, based on expert advice, are beyond judicial review unless they violate statutory policies. The petitioner's claims of unjustified price increases and constitutional violations were rejected, upholding KMF's decision.

The Karnataka High Court has dismissed a petition filed by the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) seeking to overturn the decision to raise the price of Nandini milk. Chief Justice N.V. and a division bench led by Justice Anjaria heard the case, with Dr. R. Amritalakshmi, a city resident, filing the petition.

The court's decision was based on the principle that expert opinions and specific government policies determine price hikes. Judicial review is only applicable in cases of statutory policy violations. Here, KMF had decided to increase the price based on expert advice for commercial reasons. This move, the court noted, cannot be challenged through a Public Interest Litigation.

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During the hearing, the petitioner's counsel argued that the milk price had risen due to the hike in Nandini. They criticized KMF’s justification, stating that offering an additional 50 ml of milk does not justify the price increase. The council claimed this move defies commercial logic and violates Article 14 of the Constitution, which mandates equality. They pointed out that no other milk union in the country has raised milk prices and urged KMF to reverse its decision.

Despite these arguments, the High Court ruled that the petition lacked grounds for overturning the price hike and upheld KMF’s decision.