New Delhi: On Thursday, the Supreme Court ordered the Punjab and Haryana state governments to use their best efforts to remove the farmers’ blockade on the Shambhu border highway. In this directive, the Court has put off its ruling on forming an expert committee to consider farm distress and the farmers’ demand on MSP and other related issues until September 2.
A bench headed by Justice Surya Kant, along with Justices Dipankar Datta and Ujjal Bhuyan, allowed both states to prescribe the term of reference of the expert committee and mandated that the members of the committee are to be independent experts with a background in agriculture. The bench pointed to the significance of the committee and its function in addressing issues raised by the farmers, stressing that the states should make sure the current mechanism for redressing is employed.
Justice Kant said, “As for the roles of the committee and the duties they have, we have explained that responsibility we have to both states, and we would like to make it clear to all those farmers suffering from their grievances: should the court decide on an exclusive forum, your case will be addressed following the legal procedure. ”
Punjab Advocate General Gurminder Singh satisfied the Court that only recently did the state administration have a meeting with the farmer unions where the state was willing to open a section of the Ambala-New Delhi national highway as suggested by the Supreme Court on August 12. Singh said that even though farmers are ready to use the highways partly, they are not ready to leave the protest. The state has also brought into the picture its suggestions to open up transportation in vehicles as permissible under the Motor Vehicles Act (MV Act) for farmers.
Orders were given to Punjab’s Advocate General to use his best efforts to persuade the farmers to vacate the highway and remove their tractors and trolleys. Singh said that the talks are still ongoing, and the farmer unions want more time to consult the state proposals.
Lokesh Singhal, the Additional Advocate General of Haryana, pointed out that farmers still demand to go to Parliament on tractors.
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