SC to hear pleas against farm laws, issues related to farmers protest on January 11

The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued a notice on a petition challenging the introduction of Entry 33 in Concurrent List through which the Centre introduced three contentious farm laws in September.

A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde told Attorney General KK Venugopa,l appearing for the Centre, that the petition filed by advocate ML Sharma has challenged the introduction of Entry 33 under Seventh Schedule by way of Constitution (Third Amendment) Act, 1954.

The court fixed the matter for hearing next on Monday. The court directed all other petitions challenging the validity of the three farm laws introduced by Centre to be also listed on Monday.

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The AG informed the court that talks with farmers are on and there are chances of reaching an agreement.

“There are chances of the parties coming to an agreement .That chance will be closed if we file an affidavit,” AG Venugopal said.

The bench said, “We want to encourage talks. We will keep the matters on Monday and if AG tells us that talks are on, we will adjourn the matter.”

The bench observed that as of now there was no improvement in the situation at all. SG Tushar Mehta informed the court, “Our response is ready but since we are in a healthy discussion (with farmer unions) we have not filed it yet.”

Sharma, who appeared in person to argue for the PIL, said that during the passing of the 1954 Constitutional amendment introducing Entry 33, only 8-9 states out of 19 existing states had ratified.

The farmer unions have been holding protests over the three farm laws introduced by Centre last year. The laws in question, The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, have also been opposed by some states, which have passed laws to blunt the implementation of the above enacted laws.