DMK MP Tiruchi Siva moves SC against farm laws

DMK MP Tiruchi Siva has approached the Supreme Court challenging validity of three farm laws passed last week.

He claimed the laws in their current form will spell disaster for the farming community by operating a parallel market which is unregulated and gives enough room for exploitation of the farmers’ community by concentration of power in the hands of a few corporates or individuals.

In his PIL, he claimed that there was no proper and meaningful representation or consultation and exchange of opinions from the stakeholders before passing these Bills.

He claimed the provisions of the Farmers' (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, Farmers’ Produce Trade And Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020 were unconstitutional, manifestly arbitrary, unreasonable, whimsical and highly arbitrary.

Among others, he claimed the laws give an "uneven edge over the farmers interest in favour of the sponsor or the farm service provider". "Such powers in the hands of sponsors, middle man and farm service provider sounds a death knell to the interest of the farmer who tills the lands with blood and sweat all year round for the agricultural produces," his plea stated.

He also contended if the distribution of food grains was left to market demand and the vagaries of corporate influence, they would create artificial scarcity to drive up the price.

"Complete liberalisation amounting to legitimising the black marketing, and stocking would create unequal platform between the haves and have-nots, and the very sustenance of have-nots would be under peril," the plea added.