Supreme Court Bar Association President Adish Aggarwala wrote to Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud on Tuesday urging him to take suo motu action against the farmers who were attempting to forcibly enter Delhi, causing disruption and inconvenience to the public.
The SCBA president also appealed to the Chief Justice of India to direct the courts not to issue any unfavourable rulings owing to the absence of lawyers in court proceedings. Meanwhile, CJI DY Chandrachud took note of the traffic jam in the national capital region and said that the court would accommodate the lawyers. He added that if any lawyer is facing any travel difficulty, then they will adjust.
In the letter, the SCBA president wrote that he is compelled to write this letter to bring to the Chief Justice’s notice that despite best efforts of the Indian government to protect the interest of farmers, some farmers are enroute to Delhi from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab and are gearing up for a large-scale protest in the national capital on February 13.
The letter mentioned that in light of today’s farmers’ protest, Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh Police have heightened security at the Singhu, Ghazipur, and Tikri borders, setting up nails and road barricades to deter vehicles transporting protesters from entering Delhi. It continued that cranes and earthmovers are also being employed to place large containers on the roads to obstruct their free passage into the National Capital.
Aggarwala’s letter added that it is suspected that this protest is politically motivated ahead of the forthcoming Parliament election. He added that the farmers’ right to protest should not be allowed to impede the common citizens’ right to lead their lives without any problem.
The SCBA further asserted that the farmers’ leaders, by rejecting the Indian government’s offer made during the recent talks, have chosen to proceed to Delhi with the intention of causing inconvenience to the people of several states. The letter added that if the farmers are insistent on protesting, they can do so in their respective hometowns.
The president added that given the current situation, the lawyers, not just those practising in the Supreme Court, but also those in the Delhi High Court, various Commissions, Tribunals, and District Courts will face significant hurdles in attending court proceedings.
He further requested the Chief Justice of India to issue requisite instructions to all concerned not to pass any adverse orders due to non-appearance in any matter listed before the above-mentioned courts till there are obstacles in free movement of the public on Delhi borders due to farmers’ agitation. He also requested to take suo motu action against the erring farmers for forcibly trying to enter Delhi in a bid to create nuisance and disturb the daily life of citizens.