Farm laws put on hold: What the SC said in its interim order

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed the implementation of the

new farm laws

till further orders and constituted a four-member committee to end the deadlock between the Centre and the protesting farmers.


Here's what the court said in its interim order:

'Implementation of farm laws on hold till further orders'

The implementation of the three farm laws 1) Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; (2) Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020; and (3) Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, shall stand stayed until further orders.

'This extraordinary order ... '

“While we may not stifle a peaceful protest, we think that this extraordinary order of stay of implementation of the farm laws will be perceived as an achievement of the purpose of such protest at least for the present and will encourage the farmers bodies to convince their members to get back to their livelihood, both in order to protect their own lives and health and in order to protect the lives and properties of others."

'MSP shall be maintained'

"The

Minimum Support Price

system in existence before the enactment of the farm Laws shall be maintained until further orders. In addition, the farmers' land holdings shall be protected, i.e., no farmer shall be dispossessed or deprived of his title as a result of any action taken under the farm laws."

'Committee to listen to grievances of farmers'

Committee is “constituted for the purpose of listening to the grievances of the farmers relating to the farm laws and the views of the government and to make recommendations”.

'Panel to hold first sitting within 10 days'

"The court-appointed committee shall hear the government as well as the representatives of farmers' bodies and other stakeholders and submit a report before the apex court containing its recommendations within two months from the date of its first sitting at Delhi. The committee shall hold its first sitting within 10 days from Tuesday."

'Both parties will take this in right spirit'

“Passing the interim order with the hope and expectation that both parties will take this in the right spirit and attempt to arrive at a fair, equitable and just solution to the problems”.

(With inputs from PTI)