In a significant development, Supreme Court on Tuesday (January 12) ordered to constitute a committee to be headed by a former Chief Justice of India to resolve the impasse between the Centre and farmers against three new farm laws.
The committee comprises of Bhupinder Singh Mann, Pramod Kumar Joshi, Ashok Gulati and Anil Dhanwant and the apex court has ordered the committee to hold its first meeting within 10 days. The four-member committee will have to submit its report within two months after its first meeting.
The top court has constituted the committee for the purpose of listening to the grievances of the farmers relating to the farm laws and the views of the Government and to make recommendations. All expenses for the Committee to hold sittings at Delhi or anywhere else shall be borne by the Central Government.
"The representatives of all the farmers’ bodies, whether they are holding a protest or not and whether they support or oppose the laws shall participate in the deliberations of the Committee and put forth their viewpoints. The Committee shall, upon hearing the Government as well as the representatives of the farmers’ bodies, and other stakeholders, submit a report before this Court containing its recommendations," noted the SC.
The SC also stayed the implementation of the farm laws until further orders. "In addition, the farmers landholdings shall be protected, i.e., no farmer shall be dispossessed or deprived of his title as a result of any action taken under the Farm Laws," said the SC.
Commenting on the ongoing protest of the farmers at Delhi borders, the SC remarked, "While we may not stifle a peaceful protest, we think that this extraordinary order of stay of implementation of the farm laws will be perceived as an achievement of the purpose of such protest at least for the present and will encourage the farmers' bodies to convince their members to get back to their livelihood, both in order to protect their own lives and health and in order to protect the lives and properties of others."
