SC to hear on Dec 16 plea seeking removal of farmers protesting at Delhi borders

Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on December 16 a plea seeking a direction to authorities to immediately remove farmers who are protesting at several border points of Delhi against three new farm laws, saying commuters are facing hardships due to ro blockes and garings might le to an increase in number of COVID-19 cases.

According to apex court website, a bench of Chief Justice S A Bobde and justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian will hear plea filed by law student Rishabh Sharma, who has also sought directions to authorities to open ros at Delhi's borders, shift protesters to allotted place and provide guidelines on social distancing and use of masks at protest site in order to curb spre of COVID-19.

petition has claimed that Delhi Police h, on vember 27, allowed protesters to hold a demonstration peacefully at Nirankari ground in Burari here, but despite that, y have blocked borders of national capital.

"Because of ongoing protest at Delhi's borders, ros have been blocked by protesters and border points have been closed, which have affected vehicular traffic and people who are travelling to and from Delhi to get medical treatment in reputed government/private hospitals," plea, filed through vocate Om Prakash Parihar, said.

It referred to October 7 order of top court, delivered on a petition against blocke of a ro in Shaheen Bagh area here by those protesting against Citizenship (Amendment) Act, which said public s cant be occupied indefinitely and demonstrations expressing dissent have to be std at designated places alone.

Referring to COVID-19 guidelines issued by government, plea said despite visories t to hold large garings amid pandemic, lakhs of farmers have assembled at Delhi's borders and this might le to an increase in number of coronavirus cases.

"It is pertinent to te that in view of prevention of community spre of pandemic disease coronavirus (COVID-19), it is very necessary to remove garings and this protest is furr blocking ros for all emergency/medical services, which are very much required to be supplied within territory of Delhi in order to stop spre of coronavirus.

" petitioner is seeking an urgent direction from this court for immediate removal/dispersal of such mass garing of protesters at Delhi borders and shift m to place alrey allotted by Delhi Police in view of an immediate threat of coronavirus infection and spre," plea said.

It ded that protesters can continue to protest peacefully after threat of coronavirus is over and keeping in view that number of COVID cases is increasing, it is paramount that protest be stopped immediately.

plea said due to ongoing protests, traffic movement has been disrupted at several border points of national capital as police have kept key routes connecting Delhi to Haryana and Uttar Presh closed in view of agitation.

At least five rounds of formal talks have taken place between Centre and representatives of thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab and Haryana, but delock has continued with unions sticking to ir main demand for a repeal of three contentious laws and repeatedly rejecting government's offer to make certain changes in legislations and give written assurances or clarifications on a few issues such as minimum support price (MSP) and "mandi" (wholesale market) system.