Supreme Court Supports Farmers’ Right to Protest, Urges Neutral Mediation While Centre Warns Against Unrestricted Access
The Supreme Court of India has reaffirmed the right of farmers to protest and called on both the Central and Punjab governments to engage neutral parties in resolving their demands. The court’s remarks came during the hearing of a petition by the Haryana government challenging a recent Punjab and Haryana High Court directive to open the Shambhu border, which Haryana had closed to prevent protesters from moving towards Delhi. [The State of Haryana v. Uday Pratap Singh]
A Bench consisting of Justices Surya Kant and R. Mahadevan emphasized that in a democratic setup, farmers have the right to voice their grievances. Justice Kant highlighted the importance of allowing these grievances to be addressed, although he cautioned that farmers should not bring heavy machinery like tractors or JCBs to the protest.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta expressed concerns about allowing protesters unrestricted access to the capital. In response, the Court reiterated its previous suggestion to form a neutral committee to facilitate dialogue with the farmers. The Court recommended including impartial figures such as former judges with agricultural expertise, university professors, and researchers to build trust with the farmers.
Last month, the Court had instructed the government to reach out to the farmers who were planning another march to Delhi. It had urged the Solicitor General to initiate the formation of an independent committee and encouraged the Punjab and Haryana governments to propose potential members.
Mehta requested additional time to finalize the committee’s composition. The Court agreed to extend this timeframe, scheduling the next hearing for August 12. It noted that interim arrangements will remain in place until then.
Advocate General Gurminder Singh represented the Punjab government during the proceedings.
(With inputs from agency)
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