Top Court To Hear Pleas On Contentious Laws, Today

Supreme Court to hear the case regarding farmers' protests

As the farmers' protest enters day 47, today, amid a deadlock in the government's negotiations with the protesting farmer, the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the pleas today challenging the new farm laws and agitation at Delhi borders regarding contentious laws. The eighth round of talks which was held on January 7 between the government and the unions appeared to be heading nowhere as the Centre ruled out repealing the 3 farm laws. The Monday hearing on the appeal by a bench of court headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde assumes importance as the Centre and the farmer leaders are scheduled to hold their next meeting on upcoming Friday that will be on January 15.

The Supreme Court has noted that since there is no improvement on the ground regarding farmers' agitation, the court had then assured the government of an adjournment on January 11 provided it appeals and 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," said the court.

After the eighth round of talks, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar had stated that no decision could be reached in favor of farmers, as unions 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 Supreme in support of the contentious laws. It said the laws are "beneficial" to farmers and will enable an increase in the income and growth of agriculture along with profit. Enacted in the month of September, the three farm laws have been projected by the central as major reforms in the agriculture sector that will remove the middlemen and allow farmers to sell anywhere in the country but farmer unions did not want amendment in the laws they are protesting to repeal the laws.

The farmers' unions have stressed  that the new farm laws would pave the way for eliminating the Minimum Support Price (MSP) guarantee and do away with the mandi system, leaving them at the mercy of big corporate. However, CM Arvind Kejriwal has supported the farmers' demands.