Delhi HC Declines plea for providing aid, Security and Treatment to protesting Farmers at Borders

The Delhi High Court on Thursday declined to entertain a plea seeking aid, security and treatment of the farmers protesting on the borders of the national capital, saying a similar issue was before the Supreme Court. A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan also said that the high court’s jurisdiction does not extend to areas outside the national capital territory and added that the same plea could have been filed in any of the high courts of Rajasthan, Punjab or Uttar Pradesh.

The bench also observed that the plea was filed without doing any research or preparation and dismissed it. The court’s order came after Delhi government additional standing counsel Sanjoy Ghose and advocate Rhishabh Jetley told the bench that a similar was being heard by the apex court.

The petition by a lawyer, Ashish, had sought directions to the Centre and Delhi government to take steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among the farmers protesting at the borders of the national capital. The plea, filed through advocate Rohit Jha, had also sought directions to the authorities to ensure the protests do not turn violent and to remove the road blockages caused by the agitation.

The farmers are protesting at several roads near Delhi borders against the three new farm laws — Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020.