13:05 (IST)
Farmers’ Protest LATEST Updates
Don’t want anybody’s blood on our hands, says CJI
“We will stay implementation of farm laws”, said CJI SA Bobde on Monday. “You can carry on the protest. But the question is whether the protest should be held at the same site. Each one of us will be responsible if something goes wrong. We don’t want anybody’s blood on our hands,” Bobde said while hearing a batch of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the three farm laws.
13:02 (IST)
Farmers’ Protest LATEST Updates
Put farm laws on hold: SC tells Centre
Justice Bobde pulls up the Centre for seeking more time and insisting on implementing the laws. “If you have some sense of responsibility, and if you say you will withhold the implementation of laws, we will form committee to decide,” he says. “We don’t see why there should be an insistence that the laws must be implemented at any cost.”
Chief Justice of India SA Bobde says political parties have placed the court in a delicate situation. “Our intention is clear,” he adds. “We want an amicable solution for the problem. That is why we asked you last time, why don’t you keep the laws on hold. But you are keeping asking on time.”
12:55 (IST)
Farmers’ Protest LATEST Updates
Not a single plea filed has said the farm laws are good: SC
The Bench comprising Chief Justice of India SA Bobde and Justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian said, “Some people have committed suicide, old people and women are a part of the agitation. What is happening?, said the CJI, and added that not a single plea has been filed that said that the farm laws are good.”
12:53 (IST)
Farmers’ Protest LATEST Updates
CJI refuses to hear on constitutionality of laws
The chief justice lashed out at the attorney general. “We are sorry to say that you, as the Union of India, are not able to solve the problem,” he says. “You have made a law without enough consultation resulting in a strike. So you have to resolve the strike.”
CJI Bobde refused to hear on the constitutionality of the laws. “We will hear at length on the constitutionality later. Not at this moment,” he said.
12:47 (IST)
Farmers’ Protest LATEST Updates
SC proposes to set up committee
The Supreme Court proposes to set up a committee. “We also propose to stay the implementation of the laws. If anyone wants to argue, argue,” it adds. The apex court also said it will decide on the laws after the committee makes a report. “The court will not pass an order that citizens should not protest,” it adds.
SG : Suppose if the vast majority says that why did you put on hold the laws which are beneficial to us just because some group protested?
CJI : We don’t want to get into all that. Let the committee discuss all that.#FarmersProtests#FarmLaws
— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) January 11, 2021
12:37 (IST)
Farmers’ Protest LATEST Updates
We are disappointed with the way the process is going: CJI
Hearing a clutch of petitions challenging the new farm laws as well as the ones raising issues related to the ongoing agitation at Delhi borders, the Supreme Court on Monday said it is disappointed with the way the process is going.
“We don’t know what negotiations are going on? Can the farm laws be put on hold for some time?”, asked the CJI. He added, “We are extremely disappointed with the way Centre is dealing with this. What consultative process has been followed for farm laws that entire states are up in rebellion.”
Attorney General KK Venugopal: Parties have indicated that discussions will be continued till January 15
CJI: we are extremely disappointed with the way Centre is dealing with this. What consultative process has been followed for #farmbills that entire states are up in rebellion
— Bar & Bench (@barandbench) January 11, 2021
12:34 (IST)
Farmers’ Protest LATEST Updates
SC begins hearing petition against farm laws
The Supreme Court begins hearing petitions against the three farm laws and the ongoing agitations in Delhi borders, reports Live Law.
12:33 (IST)
Farmers’ Protest LATEST Updates
SC to hear pleas on farm laws today
The Supreme Court will hear a batch of petitions challenging the three farm laws and the farmers agitation on the borders of Delhi today, reports PTI.
The eighth round of talks between the Centre and farm unions on 8 January ended without any resolution to the ongoing stalemate over the repeal of three farm reform laws. The ninth round of talks will be held on 15 January.
During the last hearing, the Supreme Court had pointed out to the government that there had been no breakthrough or improvement in the impasse.
Farmers’ Protest LATEST Updates: The Supreme Court on Monday said it was extremely disappointed with the way talks were going on between the Centre and the farmer unions. The court told the government that it will put the laws on hold if the Centre refuses to do so. The court was hearing a batch of petition challenging the new farm laws as well as the ones raising issues related to the ongoing agitation at Delhi borders.
Amid a deadlock in the government’s negotiations with protesting farmer unions, the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Monday a clutch of pleas challenging the new farm laws as well as the ones raising issues related to the ongoing agitation at Delhi borders.
The eighth round of talks between the Centre and the farmer unions on January 7 appeared heading nowhere as the Centre ruled out repealing the contentious laws while the farmer leaders said they are ready to fight till death and their ‘ghar waapsi’ will happen only after ‘law waapsi’.
The Monday hearing on the pleas by a bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde assumes significance as the Centre and the farmer leaders are scheduled to hold their next meeting on 15 January.
The top court, which had observed that there is no improvement on the ground regarding farmers’ protests, was told by the Centre on the last date of hearing that “healthy discussions” were going on between the government and the unions over all the issues and there was good chance that both sides may come to a conclusion in the near future.
The court had then assured the government of an adjournment on January 11 provided it urges so saying that the settlement through talks was a possibility.
“We understand the situation and encourage the consultation. We can adjourn the matters on Monday (January 11) if you submit the same due to the ongoing consultation process, it had said.
After the eighth round of talks, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar had said no decision could be reached as the farmer leaders did not present alternatives to their demand for the repeal of the laws.
On Saturday, a farmers’ body, Consortium of Indian Farmers Associations (CIFA), moved the top court in support of the three laws and sought impleadment in the matter.
It said the laws are beneficial to farmers and will enable increased income and growth of agriculture.
The apex court had earlier issued notice and sought the Centre’s response on a batch of pleas against the three contentious farm laws — the Farmers’ (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act.
While hearing the pleas on the issue of farmers’ protest, the top court had on December 17 said that the agitation should be allowed to continue without impediment and this court will not interfere with it as the right to protest is a fundamental right.
While acknowledging the right to non-violent protest of farmers, the apex court was also of the view that their right to protest should not infringe the fundamental rights of others to move freely and in getting essential food and other supplies as right to protest cannot mean blockade of the entire city.
In its December 17 order, the bench had said, We clarify that this court will not interfere with the protest in question. Indeed the right to protest is part of a fundamental right and can as a matter of fact, be exercised subject to public order. There can certainly be no impediment in the exercise of such rights as long as it is non-violent and does not result in damage to the life and properties of other citizens and is in accordance with law.”
“We are of the view at this stage that the farmers’ protest should be allowed to continue without impediment and without any breach of peace either by the protesters or the police,” it said.
Thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, are staying put at various border points of Delhi since late November last year to protest against the laws.
Enacted in September, the three laws have been projected by the central government as major reforms in the agriculture sector that will remove the middlemen and allow farmers to sell anywhere in the country.
However, the protesting farmers have expressed apprehension that the new laws would pave the way for eliminating the safety cushion of Minimum Support Price and do away with the mandi system, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates.