Supreme Court orders stay on new farm laws
The top court has setup a committee of experts to hold talks between the government and farmers unions who have been protesting for over a month against the newly-introduced laws. The Centre and farmer unions have engaged in eight rounds of talks so far, but failed to find a resolution.
Thousands of farmers have been protesting at the borders of Delhi since 26 November 2020, demanding the repeal of the farm laws enacted in September 2020 – The government has presented these laws as major agri-market reforms aimed at improving farmers’ income, the protesting unions find these Acts as pro-corporate and against the existing MSP system
The three laws, Farmers (Empowerment & Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance & Farm Services Act 2020, Farmers Produce Trade & Commerce (Promotion & Facilitation) Act & Amendment to Essential Commodities Act have been stayed until further orders.
The Court also ordered the formation of a four-member committee to hear all the parties and stakeholders and submit a report to the Court about the same.
The committee will comprise Bhupinder Singh Mann (National President of Bharatiya Kisan Union), Dr. Pramod Kumar Joshi, Ashok Gulati (Agricultural Economist) and Anil Ghanwat (President of Shetkari Sanghatana).
The order was pronounced by a three-judge Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI), SA Bobde and Justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian.
CJI SA Bobde Says
The Committee will not punish anyone or pass any orders. It will submit a report to us.
A detailed copy of order is expected to be published on the Supreme Court website later today.
