‘Highways not parking space’: Supreme Court wants partial reopening of Shambhu border
The bench also lauded the governments of the two states for nominating apolitical names for constituting a committee, which will hold meetings with the farmers.
The Supreme Court on Monday directed the authorities to partially open the Shambhu border, where protesting farmers have been camping since February 13. The court directed the chiefs of both Punjab and Haryana to hold a meeting along with the SPs of adjoining Patiala and Ambala districts within one week for the reopening of the highway.
The court observed that the highway wasn't a parking space as it asked the Punjab government to persuade the farmers to remove their tractors from the road.
A bench of justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan said the partial opening of the road at Shambhu order was needed to allow the movement of ambulances, essential services, senior citizens, women, girl students and local commuters.
The bench also lauded the governments of the two states for nominating apolitical names for constituting a committee, which will hold meetings with the protesting farmers.
"We will pass a brief order on the terms of the panel to be constituted for talking to protesting farmers at the Shambhu border," the bench said.
The Supreme Court had asked the Punjab and Haryana governments to suggest names of some neutral personalities for setting up an independent panel to reach out to farmers protesting at the Shambhu border over their demands like the legal guarantee of MSP for their produce.
The Supreme Court was hearing the Haryana government's challenge to the Punjab and Haryana High Court order asking it to remove within a week the barricades at the Shambhu border.
Also read: Shambhu border closure: What Haryana told Supreme Court in plea against HC order
In June, the court observed that there was a trust deficit between the farmers and the government. A three-judge Supreme Court bench, headed by Justice Surya Kant, said there was a need for a “neutral umpire” who could inspire confidence between farmers and the government.
"You have to take some steps to reach out to farmers. Why would they otherwise want to come to Delhi? You are sending ministers from here and despite their best intentions, there is a trust deficit," the bench, also comprising justices Dipankar Datta and Ujjal Bhuyan, said in June.
With inputs from PTI