Farmers protest: SC stays implementation of farm laws until further orders
Farmers protest: The three-judge bench of CJI SA Bobde and Justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian pronounced the order. The bench said that the steps taken by the Centre to break the impasse have not yielded desired results
BusinessToday.In | January 12, 2021 | Updated 14:37 IST
The Supreme Court that is hearing petitions regarding the validity of the three farm laws has stayed the implementation of the farm laws until further orders. The apex court also ordered the formation of a four-member committee to hear both the sides. The members of the committee are Bhupender Singh Mann, BKU, Anil Ghanwant of Shetkari Sanghatana, Ashok Gulati, Agricultural Scientist, Pramod K Joshi of International Food Policy Research Institute.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed the implementation of three laws deregulating India’s agriculture markets, saying it will give further orders. The court set up a committee of agriculture experts to take over negotiations between the government and farmer unions. A three-judge bench served notice to various farmers unions for their plan to drive tractors to Delhi on Republic Day to protest against the contested laws. These are matters of life and death. We are concerned with laws. We are concerned with lives and property of people affected by the agitation. We are trying to solve the problem in the best way. One of the powers we have is to suspend the legislation, Chief Justice SA Bobde said, according to NDTV.com.
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Farmers leaders have refused to appear before the committee set up by the Supreme Court.
Farmer unions have turned downed the Supreme Court s proposal of discussing the issues concerning the three farm laws in a special committee. A Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde on Tuesday stayed the implementation of the agri laws till further orders and formed a 4-man committee to deliberate over the issue. Farmer leaders welcomed the apex court s decision to put the laws on hold, however, they refused to appear before the committee.  We d issued a press note last night stating that we won t accept any committee formed by Supreme Court for mediation. We were confident that Centre will get a committee formed through Supreme Court to take the burden off their shoulders, Krantikari Kisan Union chief, Darshan Pal told the media at Singhu border.
International Policy Head Pramod Joshi
Agricultural economist Ashok Gulati
Maharashtra Shetkari Sanghatana member Anil Ghanwat
The ruling came on a batch of petitions challenging the validity of the three farm laws. A detailed order is expected later today. During the hearing, the chief justice said the court will pass an interim order saying the no farmers land can be sold for contract farming till the matter is resolved.
Before pronouncing the order, the bench commenced the hearing and urged the farmers unions to cooperate and go before the committee to be appointed by it to resolve the dispute.
“We are concerned about only the validity of the laws and also about protecting the life and property of citizens affected by protests,” said Justice Bobde. “We are trying to solve the problem in accordance with the powers we have.”
It is not strictly within the ambit of the powers of the Supreme Court to be passing orders staying legislations in aid of perception management. Hence, though the result may superficially seem correct, the process of reasoning, or lack thereof, behind the result, renders it anything but.