Farmers’ Protest LIVE Updates: Supreme Court Suspends Implementation of Farm Laws, Orders Formation of Committee With Agri Experts

Attorney General K K Venugopal argued that a law cannot be stayed unless the court finds it violates fundamental rights or constitutional schemes. “Our intention is to see whether we can find an amicable solution to all this. That is why we had asked you (Centre) whether you are willing to keep these laws on hold for sometime. But you wanted to buy time,” the bench observed, adding, “We don’t know whether you are part of the solution or part of the problem.”

The apex court, which said the matter is getting worse and people are committing suicides, reiterated the need for having a committee comprising representatives from the government and farmer organisations from over the country and said it will stop the implementation of these laws if the panel advises to do so. It said farmers are protesting against these laws and they can tell their objections to the committee.

The bench warned that it may stay the law if the government does not do it on its own. “Whether you have faith or not, we are the Supreme Court of India, we will do our job,” the bench told the farmer unions which are protesting against these farm laws. The bench said it did not know whether the protesting farmers were observing social distancing amid the COVID-19 pandemic but was concerned about them getting food and water.