Supreme Court raps Haryana, asks “how can a State block a highway?”

Directs it to remove the barricading set up at the Shambhu border near Ambala where farmers have been camping since February 13

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Haryana government how it can block a highway and directed it to remove the barricading set up at the Shambhu border near Ambala where farmers have been camping since February 13.

The Haryana government had set up barricades at the Ambala-New Delhi National Highway in February when Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) had announced to move towards Delhi in support of various demands, including a legal guarantee to minimum support price (MSP) for crops.

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A Bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan made the observation after counsel for Haryana government said the State is in the process of filing an appeal against the High Court’s July 10 order which directed it to open the highway within seven days.

“How can a State block a highway? It has a duty to regulate traffic. We are saying open it but regulate,” Justice Bhuyan said after the counsel informed the bench about filing of appeal in the apex court.