Monsanto Holdings on Thursday approached the high court here for a direction to the agriculture ministry to explain its previous statement which insinuated collusion between the environment ministry and the company in obtaining licences for its genetically modified cotton seeds. Senior advocate Pratibha Singh, on behalf of Monsanto in a case relating to the ongoing anti-competition investigation, said the company had licensed and commercialised its seed technology in 2002, and enjoyed a 92 per cent market share. “However, it is only now that the ministry of agriculture is saying licences were granted illegally,” she said.
Singh highlighted portions of the ministry's statement questioning the licensing procedure adopted by the authorities concerned.
Judge Sanjeev Sachdeva did not pass any direction. Singh said the company would be applying to formally implead the ministry in the ongoing court proceedings. Taking the main matter forward, the bench allowed Monsanto four weeks to give its rejoinders to the counter-affidavits filed by Competition Commission of India (and other respondents), while listing the petition for further hearing on April 18 next year.
