SC stays implementation of three farm laws, forms four member committee

New Delhi, Jan 12: The Supreme Court has stayed the implementation of the three farm laws. The court also formed a committee of agriculturists to hear the grievances of the farmers against the farm laws.

The committee would comprise of H S Mann, Pramod Kumar Joshi, Ashok Gulati and Anil Dhanwant.

The Bench headed by Chief Justice of India, S A Bobde had earlier asked the farmer unions if they want to go before the committee. The farmer unions had said that they were not ready for the same and have stuck to their position that they will not settle for anything less than a repeal of the farm laws.

Advocate M L Sharma informed the court that he had spoken with some of the farmers and they had told him they do not want to go before any committee. The farmers are scared that their land will be snatched away. They have said that the lawyers who purportedly appear for them in court are working at the instance of the of the BJP, Sharma also told the Bench.

The CJI said that there cannot be an empty suspension of the legislation without any purpose. All of you who are genuinely interested in solving the problem should go before the committee. The committee will only hear you and not punish you, the CJI also remarked.

The court said it is ready to suspend the law, but not indefinitely and without any activity going on in the ground. All people who genuinely want to solve the problem must go to the committee. This is our committee and we will decide on the composition of the same. This is part of the revision process, the court also said.

The court then asked the farmers if the unions have tried getting permission to conduct protests in Delhi.

On a plea filed by the Delhi police seeking an injunction on the tractor rally to be held by farmers on Republic Day, the court issued notices to the farmer unions. The CJI said that the matters of law and order is left to the police. If protests are allowed to enter the city, it is within the power of the police to see a specified number of people enter unarmed.

On the formation of a committee, the SC said that the same is not being formed to appease everyone's opinion about it. We are forming the committee for our purpose the CJI led Bench also said.