Supreme Court stays implementation of 3 farm laws; forms committee to resolve stand-off

The Supreme Court on Tuesday suspended the implementation of the three controversial farm laws until further orders and formed a four-member committee to hold talks and resolve the stand-off between the farmers and the Centre. Members of the committee formed by the three-judge bench headed by CJI SA Bobde include:

• BS Mann, Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU)
• Ashok Gulati, Agricultural Scientist
• Pramod K Jishi, International Food Policy Research Institute
• Anil Ghanwant, Shetkari Sangathan

The top court also issued a notice to farmers' unions on the Delhi Police's application filed seeking to stop the proposed tractor rally on Republic Day. On the centre's assertion that Khalistani elements had infiltrated the farmers' protest, it also asked the government of India to file an affidavit on the same by Wednesday.

A key point of the hearing was that four top lawyers who had appeared for the farmers groups and others in the hearing on Monday failed to appear on Tuesday. The Tuesday hearing had begun with lawyer ML Sharma informing the Apex Court that farmers had rejected the notion of a committee to resolve the impasse, to which the CJI, observed that the lawyers involved should also display faith in the judicial process. This was reiterated by senior counsel Harish Salve during the course of the hearing as well.

"We are forming a committee so that we have a clearer picture. We don't want to hear arguments that farmers will not go to the committee. We are looking to solve the problem. If you (farmers) want to agitate indefinitely, you can do so," CJI Bobde said.  

"We are concerned about validity of the laws and also about protecting life and property of citizens affected by protests. We are trying to solve the problem in accordance with the powers we have. One of the powers we have is to suspend the legislation and make a committee," CJI Bobde observed. 

Govt moves SC against proposed farmers' tractor rally 

The Centre on Monday moved the Supreme Court seeking an injunction against the proposed tractor or trolley march or any other kind of protest which seeks to disrupt the august gathering and celebrations of the Republic Day on January 26. In an application filed through the Delhi Police, the Centre has said that it has come to the knowledge of the security agencies that a small group of protesting individuals or organisations have planned to carry out a tractor march on Republic Day.

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Also on Monday, the top court had pulled up the Centre for its handling of the farmers protest against the new farm laws saying it was "extremely disappointed" with the way negotiations between them were going. Indicating amply that it may go to the extent of staying the implementation of the contentious farm laws, the apex court refused to grant extra time to the Centre to explore the possibility of an amicable solution, saying it has already granted the government a "long rope". The spectre of the laws' implementation being stayed had remained over the hearing going into Tuesday.

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The eighth round of talks between the Centre and the farmer unions on January 7 headed nowhere as the Centre ruled out repealing the contentious laws, while the farmers' leaders said they are ready to fight till death and their 'ghar waapsi' will happen only after 'law waapsi'.

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