The Punjab Government today informed the Supreme Court that the protesting farmers have been removed from the Shambhu and Khanauri borders near Haryana, ensuring the National Highway is now open for free traffic movement.
Punjab's Advocate General, Gurminder Singh, also informed the bench of Justices Surya Kant and NK Singh that veteran protest leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal has ended his hunger strike, which began in November last year.
"Mr Dallewal accepted water today and broke fast," AG Singh said.
The Court, emphasized that it was the Court itself that had been urging the government to ensure the reopening of the highway.
"We have been telling them to open the Highway. The contempt petition is misconceived", Justice Kant told the Advocate Angrej Singh, representing the contempt petitioner. Following this, the contempt petitioner chose to withdraw the contempt petition.
The Court also decided to drop the contempt proceedings previously initiated against the Punjab Chief Secretary and the DGP for failing to take action to hospitalize Dallewal during his fast.
Additionally, the Court instructed the High Powered Committee—formed to facilitate negotiations between the protesting farmers and the governments—to submit its supplementary report.
In the previous hearing, the Court had adjourned the matter after being informed that discussions between the protesting farmers and the Union Government were ongoing.
The farmers began their protest in February last year, demanding statutory protection for the Minimum Support Price. To stop them from marching to Delhi, the Haryana Government blocked the NH borders. In response, the protesters set up camp at the highway borders.