Aastha Pareek
The Supreme Court of India, on December 9, (Monday), dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking directions against the blocking of national highways by farmers protesting at the Shambhu border between Punjab and Haryana in the case of Gaurav Luthra v. Union of India and Others. The petition, filed by Gaurav Luthra, an RTI activist from Punjab, called for reopening barricades at the border at least once a week to alleviate public inconvenience. The petitioner also alleged that the foreign and anti-national forces were exploiting farmer unions to destabilize the State of Punjab.
A Division Bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice Manmohan declined to entertain the petition, emphasizing that a similar matter was already under consideration. The Court reminded the petitioner that it had earlier constituted a committee in the case of State Of Haryana and anr v. Uday Pratap Singh and ors, 2024 headed by retired Punjab and Haryana High Court Judge Justice Nawab Singh to address the farmers’ demands, including their call for a legal guarantee of Minimum Support Price (MSP) and loan waivers. The Court questioned the need for filing a new petition, expressing concern that it might give the wrong impression about the judiciary’s initiatives.
“Why was this plea filed? It gives a wrong impression. We have taken initiatives, and despite that, you come here,” remarked the Bench, emphasizing the redundancy of the petition. The Court cautioned against filing petitions for publicity purposes, stating, “Impression is this is for publicity and playing to the gallery.”
The petitioner argued that while the grievances of aggrieved farmers were being addressed, the plight of commuters had been overlooked. However, the Court remarked that the PIL appeared to be more of a publicity stunt than a genuine attempt to resolve the issue. It stated that it did not wish to entertain repetitive petitions on the same subject matter and allowed the petitioner with the liberty to assist in the pending matter instead.
The Bench further criticized the petitioner’s approach, observing that such actions could undermine the seriousness of judicial proceedings. Dismissing the PIL, the Court reiterated its commitment to resolving the larger public interest issues already before it.
Case Name:- Gaurav Luthra v. Union of India and Others.
Case Number:- Writ Petition (Civil) No. 1250 of 2024.
Bench:- Justices Surya Kant and Manmohan.