Farmers have the right to protest, but roads and highways cannot be stopped forever, the Supreme Court ruled on Thursday.
A panel led by Justice SK Kaul gave farmer unions three weeks to respond to a plea seeking to remove protestors off the highways. The farmer unions have been leading the almost year-long protests along Delhi’s borders and elsewhere against the three central agricultural legislation. On December 7, the court set a date for a new hearing.
The court was hearing a plea submitted by Monicca Agarwal, a resident of Noida, who requested that the protestors be removed off the NCR’s roadways since the agitation has caused regular travel delays.
“Ultimately some solution has to be found. We are not averse to their right to protest even when a legal challenge is pending, but roads cannot be blocked,” the court said.
“You may have a right to agitate in any manner but roads should not be blocked like this. People have the right to go on roads but it cannot be blocked,” said the bench also comprising Justice MM Sundresh.
The apex court had earlier called for redressal through judicial forum, agitation, or parliamentary debates while referring to the blockade of highways by farmers.
“The redressal of problems can be through the judicial forum, agitation or through Parliamentary debates. But how can the highways be blocked and this is happening perpetually. Where does this end?” the court had said.
The farmers have been camping along the borders of Delhi for about a year demanding that the three centrally passed agri laws be rolled back.
