Supreme Court's New Committee Takes Charge: Will Farmers Clear The Shambhu Border?

The Supreme Court on Monday established a high-powered committee, led by former Punjab and Haryana High Court judge Justice Nawab Singh, to amicably address the grievances of farmers protesting at the Shambhu border between Punjab and Haryana.

This decision underscores the court's intent to depoliticize the issue and seek a peaceful resolution.

SC New Committee Takes Charge: Will Farmers Clear The Shambhu Border?

A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan directed the committee to convene its first meeting within a week. The panel has been instructed to engage with the protesting farmers, urging them to promptly remove their tractors and trolleys from the border area to ease the burden on commuters.

The committee will consist of retired IPS officer PS Sandhu, Professor Devender Sharma, Professor Ranjit Singh Ghuman, and agricultural economist Sukhpal Singh from Punjab Agricultural University. The bench also invited Professor BR Kamboj, Vice-Chancellor of Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, as a special invitee to provide expert opinions when necessary.

Both the Punjab and Haryana governments are allowed to provide suggestions to the committee, ensuring a collaborative approach. The Supreme Court emphasized that the farmers' issues should not be politicized and advised the protestors to remain independent of political parties. The committee has been tasked with considering the farmers' demands in a phased manner and exploring alternative sites for their peaceful agitations.

This move comes in response to the Haryana government's appeal against a high court order that directed the removal of barricades at the Shambhu border within a week. Farmers have been camping there since February 13, following the announcement by Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha of a march to Delhi in support of their demands, including a legal guarantee of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their produce.

In its August 22 hearing, the Supreme Court had conveyed its and the states' concern over the farmers' issues and had announced the formation of a forum to address their grievances. The court's directive is aimed at ensuring that the protests do not escalate, while also safeguarding the rights and concerns of the farmers.