Supreme Court irked with aspersions on Committee for Farm Laws

By FnF Correspondent | PUBLISHED: 20, Jan 2021, 16:43 pm IST | UPDATED: 22, Jan 2021, 9:38 am IST

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday told the Centre that it has to deal with the proposed tractor rally of farmers on January 26, as it is a law and order issue. "You are authority and have to deal with it. It's not for court to pass orders," the apex court told Centre as it heard plea against proposed tractor rally. The Centre then withdrew its plea seeking an injunction against te rally as the Supreme Court said "it is a police matter".

The police has the "authority" to deal with the issue pertaining to the proposed tractor march in Delhi on the Republic Day, said a bench comprising Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian.

"We have told you that we will not issue any direction. It is a police matter. We will allow you to withdraw. You are the authority and you have to deal with it. You have the powers to pass orders, you do it. It is not for the court to pass orders..," the bench said in the hearing conducted via video conferencing.

The court also expressed displeasure over aspersions cast on members of committee appointed by it to resolve impasse over farm laws.

"No power has been given to committee members to adjudicate things, they have to report to us. Where is the question of bias? If you don't want to appear before committee, don't appear but don't malign or brand anyone like this, don't cast aspersion on the court," CJI said.

Supreme Court issued notice on plea filed by Kisan Mahapanchayat to reconstitute the Committee after one member recused from it.

CJI says, if we uphold farmers' laws then you can start agitation but peace has to be maintained.

Lawyer Prashant Bhushan, appearing for 8 farmer unions, tells CJI that farmers only want to celebrate Republic Day on outer ring road peacefully,there's no attempt to destroy peace.