Notice to Centre on plea seeking implementation of new farm laws

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought response from the Centre on a plea by a firm seeking implementation of the controversial new farm laws and its inclusion as a member in the committee formed by the top court to resolve impasse between government and farmers protesting against the legislations.

A bench of Chief Justice SA Bobde and Justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian issued notices to the Ministry of Law and Justice and Ministry of Agriculture while tagging the plea with similar petitions. The apex court was hearing a plea filed by an Aligarh-based company seeking immediate direction to Central government and Uttar Pradesh government to implement the laws — Farmers’ (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act.

The plea filed by Ramway Foods Limited and others stated that petitioners cannot be made to suffer contrary to the favourable legislation which is enacted with aim and object for increasing the yield and remunerative price framework. “There are about 2000 Roller Flour Mills throughout India, which are producing Atta, Maida, Suji and Bran at large scale. The apex court on Jan 12 had stayed implementation of controversial new farm laws till further orders and decided to set up a 4-member committee to resolve the impasse over them between the Centre and farmers’ unions protesting at Delhi borders.