Farmers Movement Archive

SC refuses to hear plea on opening of Singhu blockade

New Delhi, September 6Even as farmers protesting against the three farm laws continue to block the Singhu border for months, the Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a petition by some residents of Sonepat, seeking the opening of the roads connecting Delhi and Haryana.A Bench, led by Justice DY Chandrachud, asked the petitioners to approach the Punjab and Haryana High Court, saying HCs were more aware of the local situation.“Suppose, tomorrow there is a border dispute between Karnataka and Kerala or some other states. There will be no end to this. This court shall not be the first recourse. HCs are there to deal with local problems. We have a robust system in place,” it told petitioners’ counsel.Interestingly, another Bench of the top court is hearing a petition filed by a woman resident of Noida who alleged that due to the blockade of roads by the agitating farmers travelling between Noida and Delhi, it was taking two hours instead of the usual 20 minutes. On August 23, a Bench, led by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, had asked the Centre and governments of UP and Haryana to find a solution to the blockade of roads connecting Delhi with NCR towns by farmers’ protest.The invitation to interfere was “very tempting”, but there were HCs, which could deal with such local issues, maintaining a balance between freedom to protest and the freedom to access basic amenities, the top court said on Monday, forcing the petitioners to withdraw the plea.

The Tribune

2021-09-07