Amid a deadlock in the government's negotiations with the protesting farmer unions, the Supreme Court today delivered its judgment on petitions challenging the validity of the three farm laws enacted last September.
The top court told the centre it has the power to suspend the farm laws at the core of massive farmer protests near Delhi and form a committee to solve the crisis. "These are matters of life and death. We are concerned with laws. We are concerned with lives and property of people affected by the agitation. We are trying to solve the problem in the best way. One of the powers we have is to suspend the legislation," Chief Justice SA Bobde said.
The top court also issued notice to farmers' unions on a Delhi Police plea to stop a tractor rally during the January 26 Republic Day parade. The judges rebuffed the lawyer for protesting farmers, ML Sharma, as he said farmers would not participate in the committee as Prime Minister Narendra Modi had refused to talk to them.
The top court on Monday demanded the repeal of the three new farm laws, saying it was "extremely disappointed" with the negotiation process, and also expressed its inclination to stay the implementation of the acts. It asked the central government whether it would pause the three controversial laws at the core of massive farmer protests near Delhi, and suggested a committee for negotiations.
Meanwhile, the farmers - thousands of whom have been camped out around Delhi since late November - made this clear, as they did back then and in December, when they said "now is not the time for a committee".
Here are the LIVE Updates of the proceedings:
Facing heat over the ongoing six-week-long farmers' agitation, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala on Tuesday said there is no threat to the BJP-JJP coalition government and it will complete its full five year term.
The Government on Tuesday said the Supreme Court order to stay implementation of three new farm laws is against its wish but the direction of the top court is ''sarva-manya'' (acceptable to all) and welcomed the composition of an "impartial" committee to resolve the deadlock.
Shetkari Sanghatana chief Anil Ghanwat, a member of the committee appointed by the Supreme Court to hold talks with agitating farmers, said on Tuesday that the new farm laws partially implement what his outfit has been demanding for decades.
The Centre should repeal the three farm laws or it will cost the ruling BJP-JJP alliance in Haryana "heavily", a section of JJP MLAs said on Tuesday, hours before their party chief and Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala meets Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
The four members of the Supreme Court-appointed committee to help resolve the ongoing farmers' protest, have taken pro-farm law stance in the past, NDTV has found. The court appointed the committee this afternoon in an order following a bunch of petitions challenging the Centre's farm laws passed in parliament in September.
"Government trying to form committee on farm laws via Supreme Court, all members are pro laws," say protesting farmers
Former Union Law Minister Ashwani Kumar reacted after Supreme Court's judgment to stay all three farm laws until further order and said "the nation will expect lots from SC to solve humanitarian problems, but essentially it seems the matter of the policy."
"I do not know to what extent the Supreme Court eventually able to resolve the matter. The responsive government must come forward now to favourably consider the demand of the farmers," Ashwani Kumar told ANI.
"Supreme Court has decided according to its wisdom and I think the nation will expect lots from the Supreme Court in order to solve the humanitarian problem. I hope the farmer organisations will respond to the gesture of the Supreme Court but essentially it seems the matter of the policy," Mr Kumar added.
"Again, I do not like to comment on the formation of the committee but I think the farmers already have communicated to the highest political levels. If this committee is able to progress with the matter is a welcome step but I have my reservations," the senior Congress leader further said.
Names of Committee members mentioned by the CJI-led bench: Harsmirat Mann, agriculture economist Ashok Gulati, Dr Pramod Kumar Joshi, Anil Dhanawat.
Farm laws: Senior advocate Harish Salve appearing for one of the petitioners says staying implementation of the laws shouldn't be seen as a political victory. It should be seen as a serious examination of concerns expressed over the legislations, he adds pic.twitter.com/Dww0mFL9Wn
- ANI (@ANI) January 12, 2021
Supreme Court begins hearing several petitions challenging the three farm laws passed by the Parliament and removal of protesting farmers from Delhi's borders. pic.twitter.com/dwdiszoZl9
- ANI (@ANI) January 12, 2021