The Central Government has notified Farmers’ Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services (Dispute Resolution) Rules, 2020.
These Rules are framed by the Centre in exercise of the powers conferred to it under section 22, read with sub-sections (8) and (9) of section 14, of the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020.
Section 14 of the Farmers’ Act provides for Mechanism for dispute resolution. It provides that, where, the farming agreement does not provide for conciliation process as required under sub-section (1) of section 13, or the parties to the farming agreement fail to settle their dispute under that section within a period of thirty days, then, any such party may approach the concerned Sub-Divisional Magistrate who shall be the Sub-Divisional Authority for deciding the disputes under farming agreements.
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Section 22 of the Farmers’ Act empowers the Central Government to frame Rules.
As per the Rules now notified, the Sub-divisional Magistrate having jurisdiction over the land on which such produce is produced or intended to be produced, shall be the Sub-divisional Authority to decide such dispute.
The Farmers’ Rules also deal with the Application format and also the constitution of Conciliation board and the procedure to be followed by it.
If the conciliation board fails to resolve the dispute or the parties to the transaction are unable to resolve the dispute within thirty days,, an aggrieved party may, within fourteen days therefrom, make an application to the concerned Sub- Divisional Authority to decide the dispute. The Authority has to then decide the dispute in a summary manner and the procedure to be adopted is also provided in the Rules. The Collector of the concerned district or the Additional Collector nominated by the Collector of the district shall be the Appellate Authority to decide the appeal against the order passed by the Sub- Divisional Authority.
