"Farmers' Agitation Against Farm Laws An Extraordinary Situation": P&H High Court Forms Committee To Ensure Free Movement Of Foodgrains In Punjab

The Bench of Justice Manjari Nehru Kaul thus formed a committee to ensure that free movement of foodgrains etc., is not hindered from and to Adani Wilmar Limited's facility at Ferozepur.

The Court was presiding over a plea filed by Adani praying for a direction to the State authorities/respondents to ensure the free movement of foodgrains etc.

Various affidavits/status reports were filed by the State of Punjab, underlining the steps undertaken to resolve the impasse, in an effort to ensure that while the Constitutional Rights of Adani is not defeated and that the situation on the ground does not get out of hand.

This Court perused the affidavits/status reports filed by the State of Punjab and noted that the State was doing its best to ensure that the law takes its own course and no untoward incident happens.

The Court also took into account the submission of the State of Punjab that it was open to the idea of involving some senior officials of the State of Punjab to find a way forward, as they too would like to see an early end to the stalemate.

The Court also observed that the State was conscious of the fact that any further delay would result in damaging the food-grains, which were lying stored in the facility of Adani.

Thus, the Court formed a Committee to find a way forward to put an end to the piquant situation, which shall include the following:

• Committee headed by Principal Secretary Home, Government of Punjab,
• Additional Director General of Police, Law & Order Punjab,
• Deputy Commissioner, Ferozepur,
• Senior Superintendent of Police, Ferozepur, and;
• Other officers.

The Court directed that all the parties concerned to think of an out of the box solution and take appropriate steps expeditiously to prevent further loss/wastage of about eight thousand metric tonnes of food-grains lying stored in the facility of the petitioner's firm at Ferozepur, which a country like India can ill afford.

The Court expressed its hope that all efforts would be made by the quarters concerned in the spirit of "malice towards none with charity for all" (quote by Abraham Lincoln).

Adani Wilmar Limited was represented by Advocates Ashish Prasad and Rohit Sharma (Economic Laws Practice) and Abhinav Sood.

Case title - Adani Wilmar Limited And Another v. State Of Punjab And Others

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