COVID-19: SC refuses to consider PIL by Agnivesh on guidelines being ignored on farming activities during lockdown

The Supreme Court, on Wednesday, refused to consider a plea by activist Swami Agnivesh alleging that guidelines allowing farming and allied activities were not being followed by the police authorities.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing on behalf of the Union Government, stated that there is full monitoring and implementation of the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare on March 28, 2020, and it will be ensured that the concerned police authorities would also naturally follow these guidelines.

“I have serious reservations for this particular petition. These are self-employment generating petitions. The court should not entertain such petitions," he further said.

The countrywide lockdown was imposed since March 25 to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, making all activities, including commercial, industrial and agricultural come to standstill in several states.

On March 28, the government, however, granted relaxation in the nationwide lockdown for activities related to agriculture farming and allied activities with a view to address problems being faced by the farming community. This will also ensure uninterrupted harvesting of crops, it had said.

On Wednesday, a bench of Justices NV Ramana, Sanjay Kishan Kaul and BR Gavai recorded the statement made by Mehta and disposed of the PIL by Agnivesh.

During the hearing, senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, appearing for Agnivesh, said that general statements don’t help in the matter.

Mehta, however, said the court has no reason to not trust us.

On this, the court wrapped up hearing on PIL after recording SG’s statement that appropriate steps are being taken to address the prayers in the petition, and that everything has been stated in multiple affidavits.

"Gonsalves is the busiest lawyer nowadays. He is everywhere," Mehta also said, during the hearing conducted through video conferencing.

Responding to a plea by activists Harsh Mander and Anjali Bharadwaj on plight of migrant workers, the Centre had, on April 7, asked the court not to encourage "self-serving petitions" filed on the basis of newspaper reports, when "pro-active and pre-emptive steps" were being taken to come out of the unprecedented global crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Centre had also submitted that as many as 22,567 relief camps have been set up by state governments, housing 6,31,119 workers. As many as 4,05,908 workers were kept at 3,909 relief camps set up by the NGOs. It also pointed out 54,15,458 workers were given food by the government, 30,11,051 by NGOs and 15,05,107 by their employers.