New Delhi: In a significant ruling, India’s Supreme Court today stayed the implementation of three contentious farm sector reform laws till further orders.
The court also set up a committee to end the deadlock in talks between government and the farmers — agitating against the new legislations for one and half months.
The SC bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde said, the apex court has the power to suspend the legislations in order to solve the problem.
The court ruling came on a batch of petitions challenging the validity of the three farm laws that were enacted last September.
During the hearing today, the top court sought the cooperation of the protesting farmers and made it clear that no power can prevent it from setting up a committee to resolve the impasse over the controversial farm laws.
“This is not politics. There is a difference between politics and judiciary and you will have to cooperate,” the bench told the farmers’ unions.
Seeking their cooperation it said “those who genuinely want resolution will go to the committee.”
“We are concerned about protecting life and property of citizens,” the bench observed.
The committee set up by the Supreme Court will include two farmers’ union leaders and noted agriculture economist Ashok Gulati.
The government and the farmer unions have so far held eight rounds of talks but no headway was made.
Farmers, especially from Punjab and Haryana states, have been camping at Delhi’s borders since November, seeking repeal of the three laws, a demand the government has rejected.
The three controversial laws are: Farmers (Empowerment & Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance & Farm Services Act 2020, Farmers Produce Trade & Commerce (Promotion & Facilitation) Act and Amendment to Essential Commodities Act.
