A Supreme Court-appointed panel has submitted its report on the three agricultural reform laws in a closed cover. The report will be revealed during the next hearing of the case.
“We submitted the report in a sealed envelope to the registrar of the court on March 19. It will be made public on the date of the next hearing of the PIL,” said Anil Ghanwat, one of the members of the committee who also heads a farm union and has advocated in favour of the laws.
Asked about the stakeholders consulted by the committee and their views on the laws, Mr. Ghanwat said, “Our role is over now. We are not authorised to say anything about it before it is made public.”
The three laws which were passed by Parliament in September and are being opposed by farmers’ unions are The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act and The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act.
On January 12, the Supreme Court suspended the implementation of the three laws and appointed a four-member committee of experts “to listen to the grievances of the farmers on the farm laws and the views of the government and make recommendations”.
After one member, farm union leader Bhupinder Singh Mann , recused himself from the panel, the remaining three members met the stakeholders including farmers’ groups, farmer producer organisations, officials and industry representatives from various States. However, the farm unions refused to meet the panel.
