Farmers File Plea In Hc To Modify Earlier Order, Legal News, ET LegalWorld – Legal Firms

Vijayawada: With the state government filing an interlocutory application before the high court seeking directions to cancel the permission given to farmers of Amaravati to conduct their padayatra, the farmers have filed another application seeking modifications to the earlier orders with regard to people coming to express their solidarity.

As the padaytra came to a halt following the directions of the high court, the farmers filed an application seeking modification of the order. They have alleged that police are interpreting the orders of the high court to their convenience and imposing unreasonable restrictions. Arguing on behalf of the farmers, Unnam Muralidhar Rao said the police started asking for identity cards within 30 minutes of the orders of the high court on October 21.

They have pulled away women from the padayatra who did not have ID cards, he said, adding that only 150 people have been given ID cards. In the guise of implementing the high court’s orders, police did not allow anyone to express solidarity by way of supplying food, water and other needs to the farmers, he alleged.

Senior counsel Posani Venkateswarlu, who also argued for the farmers, said it is not possible for all 600 people who got permission to continue the padayatra till the end. As majority of them are women and elderly people, their personal problems should be considered while imposing the restrictions, Venkateswarlu said, and sought modification to the earlier order allowing other farmers to join the padayatra if someone withdraws and limit the total number to 600.

Arguing on behalf of the state government, advocate general S Sriram denied the allegations that police did not allow supply of food and water to the farmers. He said the ID cards were issued to all 600 people whose details were submitted to the DGP’s office. The petitioners are making oral allegations but there is nothing in written in their affidavit, he said, adding that he would respond to the allegations if they are in written form.

Considering the arguments from both sides, Justice R Raghunandan Rao observed that the earlier orders were given to resolve the issue on ground. If the restrictions on people coming to express their solidarity are lifted there could be a situation where police and farmers will confront each other, he said, before posting further hearing on all the petitions to Friday.

On the other hand, the bench comprising Justice A V Sesha Sai and Justice D Venkata Ramana declined to hear the appeal petition filed by the farmers seeking modifications to the original order of the high court which permitted the padayatra. The bench said the matter will be heard by the regular division bench headed by the Chief Justice.