Farmers' protests: SC panel consults agri-professionals, academicians on new farm laws

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New Delhi: The Supreme Court-appointed committee on the new farm laws on Monday (February 15) said that it held consultations with eminent academicians and agri-professionals on the legislations against which farmers have been protesting at Delhi's borders for over two months now.

This is the seventh meeting the panel has held so far. The three-member committee is holding consultations with stakeholders both online and in person.

In a statement, the committee said it held a detailed discussion with academicians and professionals on Monday through video conferencing.

"In total, 7 eminent academicians and professionals in the field participated through video conferencing for detailed deliberations with the committee members," it said.

The committee members requested the participants to give their views on the three farm laws. "All the participating professionals and academicians gave their detailed views and suggestions...," the statement said.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had on January 12 stayed the implementation of the three contentious farm laws for two months and asked the committee to submit a report within two months after consulting the concerned stakeholders.

Thousands of farmers, especially from Punjab, Haryana and parts of Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at Delhi's borders for over two months now seeking repeal of the new legislations, introduced by the Centre last year, saying they are pro-corporate and could weaken the mandi system.

The 11 rounds of the talks between the Centre and 41 protesting farmer unions has so far remained deadlocked even though the former has offered concessions including suspension of the legislations for 18 months, which the unions have rejected.