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Farmers’ protest: HC seeks affidavit on meet between Centre, farm union leaders
The Punjab and Haryana high court has asked the central and state governments to file an affidavit based on their meeting with farmers scheduled for Thursday evening. The court is hearing two public interest litigations (PIL) related to the farmers' Dilli Chalo march. One of the PILs challenges the sealing of the Haryana-Punjab border, while the other seeks directions to ensure that highways and rail tracks are not blocked by the farmers. The court has listed the case for hearing on February 20.
The Punjab and Haryana high court on Thursday asked the central and state governments to file an affidavit based on their meeting with farmers scheduled on Thursday evening.
A division bench of acting chief justice GS Sandhawalia and justice Vikas Suri was hearing two public interest litigations (PIL) pertaining to the farmers’ Dilli Chalo march. The case is now listed for hearing on February 20.
One of the PILs has been moved by advocate Uday Pratap Singh, a resident of Amravati Enclave, Panchkula. The petitioner termed sealing of the border between Haryana and Punjab at Shambhu unlawful as it had been done with the objective of preventing farmers from exercising their constitutional right to assemble and protest peacefully. The petitioner said that the road blockade is not only causing inconvenience to residents but also hindrance in the movement of ambulance, school buses and pedestrians. He said diversion of traffic has increased traffic on alternative routes. The petitioner sought directions for lifting of restrictions imposed by invoking Section 144 of the CrPC and suspension of mobile internet services and bulk SMS in seven districts — Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad and Sirsa.
The second petition was filed by advocate Arvind Seth, a resident of Sector 5, Mansa Devi Complex, Panchkula. He sought directions to states and the Union to ensure that all national and state highways and rail tracks in Punjab and Haryana are not blocked by the farmers and immediate action is taken against the agitators under the National Highway Act.
Additional solicitor general of India, Satya Pal Jain, on Thursday informed the court that a meeting has been scheduled between the Union ministers and representatives of the farmers union. Following this, the bench directed, “Let a short affidavit be filed by the respondents on February 20.”
The Haryana government submitted that the protest is unauthorised and has been organised without permission. It submitted that six districts of Yamunanagar, Charkhi Dadri, Kurukshetra, Jhajjar, Panchkula and Karnal have already earmarked areas for holding peaceful protests and other districts are also directed to identify such sites.
The Punjab government told the court that the situation is tense but under control.
