Farmers’ protest: SC notes ‘no improvement on ground’, to hear pleas on January 11

The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it would hear a clutch of petitions challenging the three new farm laws and those related to the ongoing farmers’ protest at Delhi borders on January 11, reported Bar and Bench.

A bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde, which observed that there is no improvement on the ground regarding farmers' protests, was told by the Centre that “healthy discussions” are going on between the government and farmers over these issues.

Two days after the seventh round of talks failed between the farmers' representatives and the centre, Attorney General KK Venugopal told the court, "We are discussing with farmers. There are chances of some sort of understanding between the parties."

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta further said, "A healthy discussion is going on now."

Venugopal said there is a good chance that parties may come to a conclusion in the near future and filing of response by the Centre on the pleas challenging the new farm laws might foreclose the negotiations between the farmers and government.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, while informing the bench that talks are going on between the government and farmers in a “healthy atmosphere,” said that these matters should not be listed for hearing on January 8.

“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,” the bench said.

The court was hearing a petition filed by advocate Manohar Lal Sharma challenging the validity of the three farm laws.

Protesting since late November near Delhi's borders, thousands of demonstrators have been demanding the laws be scrapped. They say the legislations will leave them at the mercy of corporates.

• Delhi borders
• Farmers protest
• agri laws
• Supreme Court