After multiple rounds of negotiation between the Centre and the agitating farmers bore no results, a Supreme Court bench, led by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde, will hear key petitions around the farmers’ agitation today.
Petitions have been filed by DMK MP Tiruchi Siva and other opposition leaders challenging the constitutionality of these laws. There are other PILs that seek removal of protesting farmers citing law and order situation and inconvenience to people living in Delhi-NCR region.
The question before the Supreme Court is not just that of the pure legality of the three contentious laws, a cursory look at the earlier observations by the apex court indicate that the top court is inclined to aid the process of resolving the stalemate.
About 40 farmer associations have been impleaded as a party in the case. Another petition filed by lawyer ML Sharma has been admitted which interestingly challenges the 1954 amendment that put agriculture in the concurrent list.
During the earlier hearings, the Supreme Court made a suggestion to the Centre asking if the three farm laws should be suspended voluntarily by the Centre to build trust between the government and the agitating farmers. The attorney general and solicitor general are likely to clarify the stand before the Supreme Court.