A bench headed by CJI Bobde of Supreme Court stated that it will not go into the issue of whether to allow entry of protesting farmers to Delhi for the proposed tractor rally on Republic Day.
The court further told the Central government,
“intervention of the Court has been strongly misunderstood. Who will come in the city and who will be allowed will not be seen by us. Invoke all your powers to see whether farmers can be allowed in the city. But who can be allowed or not are matters of law and order will be dealt by police. We cannot be the first authority here.”
CJI Bobde told Attorney General KK Venugopal that the Court will not pass any order stating that Delhi police has the power to take a decision on farmers entry.
In this case of farmers protest ,the court had earlier suspended the “implementation” of three farm laws in a bid to persuade farmers agitating against them to come to the “negotiating table.”
It also set up a four-member expert committee to “negotiate” between the farmers and the government. Farmers’ groups, pushing for repeal, have said they won’t appear before the committee.
The case will now be heard on 20 January 2021.
Developments till now
A plea has been filed by Bhartiya Kisan Union Lokshakti (BKUL ) before the Supreme Court to remove all the three members who are presently part of the Court appointed committee for resolving farmers protest as all the present committee members have expressed their support for the Farm Acts through written publications.
It has been prayed to reconstitute the committee for resolving farmers protest including impartial persons like retired Supreme Court judges and representatives of farmers unions. The application has also urged court to dismiss the application filed by Delhi police seeking to injunct the tractor rally slated to be held on Republic Day.
Recently, BKU President Bhupinder Singh has recused from the committee saying “I am recusing myself from the committee and I will always stand with my farmers and Punjab”.
The Supreme Court of India had “stayed the implementation of three farm laws until further orders” and has decided to form a committee to solve the deadlock between the protesting farmers and the central government.
The CJI said while hearing the matter of farmers protest, “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.”
CJI bobde while hearing the matter of farmers protest further observed, “We are concerned about validity of the laws and also about protecting life and property of citizens affected by Farmers protest. 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
