Not against farmers' right to protest but they cannot block roads indefinitely: Supreme Court
The Bench was hearing a petition filed by a resident of Noida Monicca Agarwal urging that the protesters be removed from the roads around the national capital region.
FollowThe Supreme Court on Thursday said that it doesn’t oppose farmers' right to protest against the three farms laws at Delhi borders, but they cannot block roads indefinitely. The apex court said it was not against the right to protest even when the legal challenge is pending but ultimately some solution has to be found.
"Farmers have right to protest but they cannot keep roads blocked indefinitely. You may have a right to agitate in any manner but roads should not be blocked like this. People have right to go on roads but it cannot be blocked," a Supreme Court bench stated on Thursday, news agency PTI reported.
A bench of Justices SK Kaul and CT Ravikumar which on September 30 wondered how highways can be blocked perpetually - posted the matter for December 7.
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The Bench was hearing a petition filed by a resident of Noida, Monicca Agarwal urging that the protesters be removed from the roads around the national capital region. Agarwal, a single parent with some medical issues, alleged that due to blockade of roads by the agitating farmers, travelling between Noida and Delhi was taking two hours instead of the usual 20 minutes and that it had become a nightmare to commute.
"The roads have been blocked due to the way Delhi Police has made the arrangements. It suits them to allow a feeling that farmers are blocking the road," Senior Advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for the farmers, told the court, as per Bar and Bench.
The Supreme Court has asked SKM and other farmer unions to file their response in four weeks to the petition seeking removal of protesting farmers from roads. The next hearing of the case will take place on December 7.
