In a significant development, the Supreme Court on Tuesday (January 12) stayed the implementation of three new farm laws till further orders in order to end the impasse between the farmers and the Centre. The apex court also decided to form a four-member committee to hear the grievances of the farmers and resolve the matter.
During the hearing in the SC on Tuesday, the advocate for farmers' union, ML Sharma, said that farmers protesting on Delhi borders have complained that many leaders came to them to hold discussions over their issues but Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not come even once to meet them.
Responding to Sharma's remarks, Chief Justice S A Bobde said, "We cannot ask the Prime Minister to come to the meeting, because he is not a party in this case." Solicitor General Tushar Mehta then said that Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar is already holding talks with farmer unions and he is working closely with PM Modi on this matter.
The four-member committee constituted by the SC has BKU president Bhupinder Singh Mann, Shetkeri Sangathana, Maharashtra president Anil Ghanwat, Pramod Kumar Joshi, director for South Asia, International Food Policy Research Institute, and agriculture economist Ashok Gulati, as its members.
The Supreme Court has also stayed the implementation of the three laws -- the Farmers' (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act -- against which several petitions have been filed challenging their constitutional validity.
The SC 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.
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.
