The Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to the Central Government seeking its response to several petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the three recently disputed agricultural laws. A bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde has sought a reply from the Center on the notice within four weeks.
Three laws – Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Price Assurance and Agricultural Services Agreement Act, 2020, Farmers Product Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Simplification) Act, 2020 and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020, after the approval of President Ramnath Kovind They came into effect on 27 September.
The bench was hearing petitions filed by Rashtriya Janata Dal Rajya Sabha member Manoj Jha, Congress Lok Sabha MP from Kerala TN Pratapan and DMK Rajya Sabha members Tiruchi Siva and Rakesh Vaishnav from Tamil Nadu.
The bench also comprises Justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian. It has been alleged in the petitions that the Agricultural Laws passed by the Parliament will put an end to the Agricultural Produce Market Committee system made to ensure fair prices of agricultural products to farmers.