New Delhi/Chandigarh: The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a plea filed by residents of Sonipat seeking opening of the roads connecting Delhi and Haryana at the Singhu border here, which have been blocked by farmers protesting against three agri laws and asked the petitioners to approach the High Court.
A Bench of Justices DY Chandrachud, Vikram Nath and Hima Kohli said the petitioners have the freedom to approach the high court and state administration is also amenable to the directions of the high court to deal with maintaining a balance between freedom to protest and the freedom to access of basic amenities.
It allowed the petition to be withdrawn and granted liberty to them to approach the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
The top court said the invitation to interfere is very tempting but there are High Courts, which can deal with the local issues.
"Suppose, tomorrow there is a border dispute between Karnataka and Kerala or some other states. There will be no end to this. This court shall not be the first recourse. High Courts are there to deal with local problems. We have a robust system in place," the Bench said.
At the outset, advocate Abhimanyu Bhandari, appearing for petitioners Jai Bhagwan and Jagbir Singh Chhikara, both residents of Sonipat, said that the Singhu border is like an 'umbilical cord' for people of the city as it connects Delhi and Haryana but due to blockade this is hampering their right to movement.
He said that petitioners are not against the peaceful protest by farmers and they have nothing to do with the three farm laws against which they are protesting.
The Bench said: "Why don't you approach the High court being resident of Sonipat? Why is this petition filed here for publicity? There is no need for us to intervene when high courts are well versed with the local conditions and the problems you all are facing. We should trust our High Courts."
Bhandari said that a coordinate Bench of this court has recently passed an order with regard to the UP Gate protest in which the top court had asked the Centre to find a solution to the problem so that no inconvenience is caused to the common people due to blockade of interstate roads.
At least allow the opening of one side of the highway so that people can move in case of any kind of emergency, he said.
Meanwhile, prohibitory orders banning the gathering of people were imposed in Karnal on Monday, a day ahead of a gherao planned by farmers at the mini-secretariat here over the August 28 lathi-charge, officials said.
Karnal District Magistrate Nishant Kumar Yadav promulgated orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code banning assembly of people and announced that all types of Internet services (2G/3G/4G/CDMA/GPRS), SMS services and dongle services provided on mobile networks will be suspended from midnight today.
Internet services will also remain suspended from Monday midnight to Tuesday midnight in Kurukshetra, Jind, Kaithal and Panipat districts.
Only voice calls will be allowed on mobile networks, he said after the administration held a meeting on Monday to discuss the security arrangements.
Karnal SP Ganga Ram Punia informed that 40 companies of the police, including 10 of paramilitary forces, have been deployed.
He said five officers of SP rank and 25 of the DSP rank have been sent by the headquarters to keep a strict vigil over the law and order situation.
Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Navdeep Singh Virk said the primary objective of these arrangements is to maintain peace and order, prevent any kind of violence, facilitate the functioning of traffic and public transport system and safeguard the public property across the state in general and Karnal in particular.
IGP Karnal Range and all the district Superintendents of Police (Karnal Range) have been directed to take necessary preventive and precautionary measures to maintain law and order in the area and its adjoining districts. All measures would be taken to contain any kind of untoward incident and safety of citizens, he added. Virk informed that DGP Haryana PK Agrawal has himself reviewed the preparedness of the police for the proposed farmers' protest in a meeting held with Karnal Range IGP and SPs on September 4.
National Highway 44 (Ambala-Delhi) may see some traffic disruptions in Karnal district. Therefore, those using NH-44 are advised to avoid journeys through Karnal town or otherwise use alternate routes to go to their destination on September 7, Virk said.
Meanwhile, Kurukshetra University has postponed all examinations scheduled for Tuesday due to the suspension of Internet services. These exams will now be held on September 28.