Farmers’ protest: SC defers hearing on petition seeking removal of road blockades

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 7

The Supreme Court on Tuesday deferred hearing on a NOIDA woman’s petition seeking removal of blockade of roads connecting Delhi to NCR by farmers as the government counsel sought adjournment to seek instructions in view of the “changed circumstances”.

A Bench led by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul posted the matter for hearing in the second week of January next year after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said he needed to take instructions in view of the repeal of the three farm laws Parliament last month. Advocate Prashant Bhushan – representing some farmers’ bodies – supported Mehta’s submission.

The Bench was hearing a petition filed by Monicca Agarwal—a women resident of NOIDA – on the issue. 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 between Noida and Delhi.

The top court had on October 21 given three weeks to farmers’ bodies to respond to a petition seeking directions to the authorities to end blockades of roads connecting NCR regions to the national capital by farmers protesting against farm laws.

“I am not averse to their right to protest even when a legal challenge is pending. But roads can’t be blocked… Ultimately some solution has to be found,” Justice Kaul—who on September 30 wondered how highways can be blocked perpetually – had noted.

Maintaining that “democracy and dissent go hand in hand”, the Supreme Court had on October 7 last year ruled that roads and public spaces can’t be blocked indefinitely and demonstrations expressing dissent have to be in designated places alone.