Supreme Court asks protesting farmers to keep peace during Republic Day tractor rally

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday appealed to the farmers protesting the controversial Farm Laws in and around Delhi to maintain peace on Republic Day. They also refused to hear a Delhi Police plea to stop the proposed tractor rally.

"We find it highly irregular to decide in the first instance whether to allow or disallow a rally or a procession," said a three judge bench led by CJI S.A. Bobde.

"That is the prerogative of the executive and police have to take a call on this," said CJI Bobde, while asking the cops to withdraw their plea.


The Delhi Police had said, in their plea, that a rally would affect the dignity of the Republic Day parade and disturb peace.

The bench, however, squashed the plea, reiterating that it was a law and order issue involving policing.

"Police must decide who will enter Delhi and in what numbers," said CJI Bobde.

Now, Delhi Police can only regulate the parallel rally proposed on the ring road as it cannot crack down on it while the court was dealing with the farmers protests.

The Attorney General for India, KK Venugopal, tried to urge the court to keep the plea pending but was denied.

"The farmers have committed to holding the rally peacefully," said Venugopal, but expressed apprehensions of a possible breach of peace. The CJI then appealed to the farmers' union to ensure a peaceful Republic Day.