Farmers Movement Archive

Supreme Court-appointed committee on farm laws submits its report, hearing on the matter scheduled for April 5

The Supreme Court-appointed committee on the three contentious central farm laws has submitted its report to the apex court in a sealed cover."The report has been submitted in the Supreme Court in a sealed cover envelope on March 19," agricultural economist Anil Ghanvat who is one of the members of the committee, told HT.The content of the report has not been revealed so far. The court will hear the matter on April 5.The three-member committee was appointed by the Supreme Court on January 12 for evaluation of the farm laws against which farmers from many states have been protesting.The panel members held their first meeting on January 19 and decided to set up a web portal for farmers to help them share their opinion on the new farm laws. The members have spoken to 85 farmer organisations and other stakeholders to find the solution of the deadlock that has been continuing for more than four months.Also Read | Sharad Pawar doing well after surgery: Maharashtra health ministerApart from Ghanvat, Ashok Gulati, and Pramod Joshi are part of the committee.In January this year, the apex court suspended the implementation of the farm laws passed by Parliament in September, 2020. The Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar had also expressed faith in the Supreme Court and the committee and had said, “We have full faith in the apex court,” reported PTI.Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of 40 protesting farmers’ unions, rejected the committee and called it pro-government hours after its formation.The farmers have maintained their stance that they will continue the protest until the agri laws are not rolled back and a separate legislation guaranteeing Minimum Support Price (MSP) is not implemented to assure their safety from the big corporations.The three contentious farm laws are: Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act.

Hindustan Times

31-03-2021

India