The Punjab and Haryana High Court has rejected an urgent hearing plea from the Centre concerning the ongoing farmers’ protest. This decision comes as farmers resume their march towards Delhi, intensifying their demand for a minimum support price.
Delhi: On Tuesday (20th February) the Punjab and Haryana High Court denied to address a hearing regarding the ongoing farmers’ protest march to Delhi, postponing the case to February 29.
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Satya Pal Jain and Haryana Advocate General Baldev Raj Mahajan, who sought urgent listing of the matter as farmers resumed their march to Delhi, demanded a minimum support price (MSP) for crops.
The division bench of Acting Chief Justice GS Sandhawalia and Justice Lapita Banerjee refused to intervene urgently to halt the farmers’ movement towards Delhi. ASG Jain confirmed that the oral request was declined but clarified that the Union of India did not submit an application for an urgent hearing.
Before the farmers’ protest march, two Public Interest Litigations (PILs) were filed on February 12, one challenging the Haryana government’s restrictions on protesting farmers and the other seeking the Court’s intervention to maintain law and order in Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh.
Punjab Police data presented to the Court indicated that around 13,000 to 13,500 protestors would gather at the Shambhu border, District Patiala, during the day, decreasing to 11,000–11,500 at night. At the Khanauri border in District Sangrur, approximately 4,500–4,600 protestors would gather during the day and 3,700–3,900 at night, along with tractor-trolleys and other vehicles.
The High Court issued notices to the Central government and the Governments of Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi on February 13.
The Court was assured that police officers were directed to maintain law and order at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders. The Punjab Government mentioned issuing directions on February 15 to prevent machines like JCBs from moving towards Patiala and Sangrur districts, setting up round-the-clock checkpoints on roads leading to these districts.
Several farmers sustained injuries as Haryana Police fired tear gas shells at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders on Wednesday afternoon.
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During Tuesday’s hearing, the Center asked for time to update the Court on meetings between farmer leaders and Union Ministers, which reportedly remained inconclusive, leading to the resumption of the march to Delhi.
The Haryana Government informed the Court that it had identified sites in 18 districts for peaceful farmer protests. Protestors can apply for permission, which will be decided by the competent authority in accordance with the law.
CASE TITLE: Uday Pratap Singh v Union of India
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