Supreme Court Puts on Hold 3 Farm Laws, Will Not be Implemented for Now

NEW DELHI: The three controversial farm laws which led the farmers to agitate in the borders of Delhi was halted by the top court.

"We are staying three farm laws until further orders," Chief Justice SA Bobde said.

The top court also said a committee of four agricultural experts would be formed to take over negotiations with farmers to end the crisis and will report directly to the Apex Court.

The committee comprises of H S Mann, Pramod Kumar Joshi, Ashok Gulati and Anil Dhanwant.

Criticizing to the judgement the opposition said that they do not have faith in Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, the centre said that the government had told the court that the laws "were not hurriedly made", that they were the result of two decades of deliberations.

The three laws, Farmers (Empowerment & Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance & Farm Services Act 2020, Farmers Produce Trade & Commerce (Promotion & Facilitation) Act & Amendment to Essential Commodities Act have been challenged as illegal, arbitrary and unconstitutional.

Earlier the Apex Court lashed out at the Centre for failing to end the deadlock and proposed the formation of an expert committee headed by a former Chief Justice of India to help find a resolution to the matter.

In a detailed hearing, which lasted close to two hours, on Monday, Chief Justice Bobde repeatedly questioned the Centre's counsel - Attorney General K.K. Venugopal and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta - why are they insisting on the implementation of the law.

"We are not experts on the economy... you tell us whether you are going to hold these laws or should we do it," the bench told the Centre. The Chief Justice replied the Union of India has failed to take responsibility and the laws have resulted in a strike.

As the AG reiterated laws cannot stay, the bench replied the Centre has failed to stop the agitation and the problem continues to remain unresolved.

The top Court observed the talks between farmers and the Centre have failed to make any headway, as the former wants laws to be repealed and the latter wants point by point discussion. Citing its stay on the Maharashtra law granting reservation to Marathas in education in job and education, the bench, however, said it is against the stay on any laws.

Reiterating its earlier proposal to constitute a Court-appointed committee, which could be headed by a former Chief Justice of India to resolve the impasse, the top court asked the parties to suggest two-three names of former Chief Justices including former Chief Justice R.M. Lodha who can head this panel.

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