New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday was informed that a delegation of farmers’ protesting at the Khanauri border, between Punjab and Haryana, will be meeting the high-powered committee appointed by the apex court during the day. Farmers have been protesting at the Shambhu border since February 13, last year, over their various demands including a legal guarantee for minimum support price for their produce.
The matter came up before a bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the Punjab government, informed the bench regarding the meeting scheduled later in the day.
"Let us hope something positive emerges out of it," said the bench. Sibal said they were able to persuade the protesting farmers to meet Justice (Retd) Nawab Singh, who chairs the committee.
Among the protesting farmers is also septuagenarian Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been on an indefinite fast for the past 40 days. The bench asked the committee and others to apprise it of the outcome and scheduled the matter for consideration on January 10.
In September last year, the apex court constituted a high-powered panel headed by Justice (Retd) Nawab Singh, a former Punjab and Haryana High Court's Judge, to conduct negotiations with the farmers.
One Labh Singh had filed a contempt petition against the failure of the Punjab government to provide medical help to Dallewal, who has been on hunger strike, with regard to the apex court's order of December 20.
On December 31, the Punjab government told the Supreme Court that a proposal has come from the protesting farmers’ that if the Centre is ready for talks, regarding farmers’ demands including a legal guarantee of minimum support price, then Dallewal would be ready to take medical help.
