The Supreme Court has announced the creation of a multi-member panel to address farmers' issues and resolve ongoing protests at the Shambhu border, urging Punjab and Haryana to clear the site. (DC File Image)
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court announced on Thursday that it will soon establish a multi-member panel to address the grievances of farmers and work towards a permanent resolution. The court also directed the Punjab and Haryana governments to persuade the farmers protesting at the Shambhu border to remove their tractors and trolleys from the site.
A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta, and Ujjal Bhuyan instructed the state governments to inform the agitating farmers that the court, along with both states, is dedicated to addressing their issues through a newly formed forum.
The court emphasised that the proposed committee will have a broad mandate to address recurring law-and-order problems in a fair manner. It urged the state governments to submit the proposed issues for the committee’s consideration and set a deadline of three days for this process.
During the proceedings, suggestions were made to include political figures, such as Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Partap Singh Bajwa, in the committee. However, the court rejected this proposal, insisting that the panel should not include politicians.
The court also allowed state representatives to continue engaging with the farmers and required them to report the outcomes of these discussions in the next hearing, scheduled for September 2.
The case originated from the Haryana government's challenge to a High Court order demanding the removal of barricades at the Shambhu border, which have been in place since February. These barricades were set up in response to a planned farmer march to Delhi, advocating for a legal guarantee on the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their produce.
Punjab's advocate general Gurminder Singh informed the court that, following the Supreme Court's previous order, a partial reopening of the highway at Shambhu had been agreed upon by the farmers, though they remain committed to their protest.
The bench assured that efforts would be made to create a forum to address and resolve the farmers' grievances through legal channels. It stressed the importance of joint efforts by the state governments to find a resolution to the ongoing issues.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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