Supreme Court Orders Status Quo at Shambhu Border, Proposes Independent Committee

The Supreme Court has mandated a status quo at Shambhu border, where farmers have been protesting since February 13. A committee of independent members will be created to address farmers' demands. Punjab and Haryana governments are to suggest committee members within a week.

The Supreme Court has ordered that the status quo be maintained at the Shambhu border near Ambala, where farmers have been camping since February 13, following the ongoing protests over agricultural issues. The bench, comprising Justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta, and Ujjal Bhuyan, plans to set up an independent committee consisting of eminent individuals to engage with farmers and other stakeholders to formulate a fair and just solution.

The Court has directed the Punjab and Haryana governments to propose names for the committee members, or the Court will appoint suitable individuals. This directive is to be complied with within a week. The Court emphasized that maintaining the status quo is essential to prevent escalation at the Shambhu border.

Additionally, the Supreme Court has instructed both states to remove the barricades at the Shambhu border in phases to minimize public inconvenience. The hearing stems from an appeal against a Punjab and Haryana High Court order directing the removal of barricades within seven days. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Haryana government, expressed concerns about potential law and order issues if the border is opened.

The bench stressed the need for the state to build trust with farmers and consider the appointment of a neutral arbitrator. The bench observed that the conflict has persisted for over a year and that blocking the national highway is unsustainable. The issue began when the Haryana government set up barricades on the Ambala-New Delhi highway, following farmers' announcements to march to Delhi to demand, among other things, a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) for crops.

(With inputs from agencies.)