Farmers Protest| Supreme Court Asks High-Powered Committee To Submit Final Recommendations In Sealed Cover

The Supreme Court today(February 27) asked the High Powered Committee, constituted in the backdrop of the farmers' protests demanding minimum support price for crops, to file a final report in a sealed cover. The Court has expressed its intention to close the matter after it. 

It may be recalled that in early 2024, State of Haryana had blocked the Shambhu-Khanauri border in National Highway to restrict farmers from Punjab from carrying on their protest march to Delhi. Then, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had ordered the unblocking, against which the Haryana Government had approached the Supreme Court.

In September 2024, with a view to resolve the conflict through mediation, the Supreme Court constituted a High-Powered Committee headed by Justice Nawab Singh, former judge of the Punjab & Haryana High Court, to hold negotiations with the protesting farmers. 

Today, the matter was taken up by a bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi. The Court was informed that the committee may be asked to file a final report in this matter.

Consequently, the Court passed an order, noting that with multiple efforts by various stakeholders, the issue regarding the blockade at the Punjab and Haryana borders has now been resolved. 

"With the multiple efforts by all state stakeholders...the blockade of highways, particularly Sindhu and Khanauri borders stand resolved. The vehicles are flying on the highways without any obstruction. However, on the larger issue of certain demands on both issues, the High Power Committee, headed by a former judge of the High Court, and various other domain experts in their own right, was constituted.

It seems to us that the matter is now ripe to close these proceedings. This will be then after obtaining a report from the High Powered Committee containing their brief suggestions, which can then be forwarded to the appropriate governments for further their consideration. We therefore impress upon the committee to submit its report-cum-recommendations. However, such recommendations remain in sealed cover and the committee will not divulge the contents in public domain until further orders by the Court."

The Court was also informed that the honorarium has also been paid by the two States to the committee members.

It may also be recalled that the Court was also hearing a contempt case against the Punjab Chief Secretary and the DGP for not taking steps to hospitalise veteran leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who was on a fast-unto-death at the Khanauri border. Eventually, in January 2025, there was a breakthrough as the protesting farmers agreed to meet Justice Singh, chairperson of the committee. 

Subsequently, Dallewal accepted medical intervention and the contempt proceedings were dropped.

Case Details: STATE OF HARYANA Vs UDAY PRATAP SINGH|SLP(C) No. 6950-6953/2024 Diary No. 11369 / 2024