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".
