How can highways be blocked perpetually, asks Supreme Court; says executive’s duty to implement law

New Delhi, September 30

How can highways be blocked perpetually, the Supreme Court wondered on Thursday while referring to road blockades by farmers protesting at Delhi borders against the three farm laws passed last year, and said it is the executive’s duty to implement the law laid down by the court.

The top court allowed the Centre to file a formal application to make farmer unions party to the plea seeking opening of road blockade at Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border at UP Gate here.

A bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and MM Sundresh said, “The redressal of problems can be through judicial forum, agitation or through parliamentary debates. But how can the highways be blocked and this is happening perpetually. Where does this end?”

The top court was hearing a plea of a Noida resident Monicca Agrawaal, who has sought removal of blockade saying that earlier it took 20 minutes to reach Delhi and now it is taking over two hours and people of the area are facing hardships due to protests at the UP Gate on Delhi border.

At the outset, the bench asked Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj what the government is doing in the matter.

Nataraj said that they had convened a meeting with the protesting farmers and details had been mentioned in the affidavit.

The bench said, “We may lay down a law but how to implement the law is your business. The court cannot implement it. It is the executive who has to implement it.” PTI