Chandigarh, Feb 21, 2024
The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday declined urgent listing of an application seeking to stop farmers allegedly moving in modified vehicles and tractor-trailers.
The high court’s decision came on the application of the Haryana government.
A huge build-up of farmers from Punjab and Haryana continued on borders of Haryana as they are ready to head to the national capital to lodge their protest over demands comprising the law guaranteeing the minimum support price (MSP) of crops as they rejected the government proposal.
A day earlier, the High Court verbally observed that tractor-trailers could not ply on the highways under provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act.
The court was hearing a public interest litigation, moved by advocate Uday Pratap Singh, who said the road blockade is not only causing inconvenience to residents but also hindrance in the movement of ambulance, school buses and pedestrians since February 13.
A bench of acting Chief Justice G.S. Sandhawalia and Justice Lapita Banerji questioned the Punjab government for allowing the assembly of farmers in such large numbers.
“According to the Motor Vehicles Act, you can’t use tractor-trolleys on the highway. You are travelling from Amritsar to Delhi on trolleys,” the bench had remarked.
Justice Sandhawalia orally asked the state government to ensure that protesters are not gathered in large numbers as “they have right to protest but it is subjected to reasonable restrictions”.
During the hearing, he also objected to farmers travelling in tractors and trolleys for protest.(Agency)
