Two more pleas filed in Punjab and Haryana HC over farmers’ agitation
One plea was filed by Harinder Pal Singh Ishar, a lawyer, seeking directions for a judicial inquiry by a retired judge into the death of a 21-year-old man protesting at Khanauri border in Sangrur and the alleged violent acts by the security forces during the farmers’ protest on Wednesday. This application has been filed in an earlier petition pending on the issue.
Two fresh petitions have been filed in the Punjab and Haryana high court on the farmers’ protest at Shambhu and Khanauri barriers.
Farmers stand in front of police barricades as they march towards New Delhi to push for better crop prices promised to them in 2021, at Shambhu Barrier, the border between Punjab and Haryana states, on February 22. (REUTERS)
One plea was filed by Harinder Pal Singh Ishar, a lawyer, seeking directions for a judicial inquiry by a retired judge into the death of a 21-year-old man protesting at Khanauri border in Sangrur and the alleged violent acts by the security forces during the farmers’ protest on Wednesday. This application has been filed in an earlier petition pending on the issue.
The second petition has been filed by Anil Kumar, a resident of Panchkula, which seeks restraint order on farmers marching to Delhi and blocking highways. They are equipped with heavy vehicles, which would pose danger to common citizens, police and farmers themselves, the plea stated. There are also apprehensions of the situation turning volatile, the plea says, seeking immediate intervention of the court. Both the petitions could be taken up for hearing on Friday.
The high court already has at least two petitions under considerations on the issue. The two PILs were filed by advocate Uday Pratap Singh and another by lawyer Arvind Seth. Singh’s PIL sought directions to Haryana to lift restrictions imposed by invoking Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code and the suspension of mobile internet services and bulk SMSes in several districts. Seth’s PIL sought directions to ensure that all national and state highways and rail tracks in Punjab and Haryana are not blocked by farmers and immediate action be taken against the agitators.
On Tuesday, the high court had cautioned protesting farmers camping at Shambhu and said that tractor-trailers can’t be used on highways. The hearing in this case has been deferred to February 29.