SC takes note of farmers’ talks with Centre; defers hearing

The Supreme Court on Friday took note of the two rounds of farmers’ talks with the Centre over legal guarantee on MSP and deferred the hearing on a matter linked to the farmers’ protest.

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With the third round of talks scheduled to take place on March 19, a Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice N Kotiswar Singh said the matter would be taken up thereafter.

The Bench is seized of petitions seeking contempt action against Punjab Government officials over providing medical aid to farm leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal.

Punjab Advocate General Gurminder Singh told the Bench that two ministers of the state had participated in the meeting. The Bench took on record an interim report of the court-appointed committee for providing a platform to agitating farmers to raise grievances as it appreciated the panel’s work. However, it chose to keep the interim report with itself for the time being. In September, 2024, the top court had formed the committee to amicably address the grievances of protesting farmers.

On January 22, the Bench had kept in abeyance a contempt action against Punjab Chief Secretary and the DGP after being informed that Dallewal, on a fast since November 26, 2024, was undergoing medical treatment without breaking his fast.

On January 2, it had asked the Centre why it couldn’t say that its doors were open and it would consider the genuine grievances of the protesting farmers.