Introduction
In a significant legal development, a contempt petition has been filed in the Supreme Court against Punjab’s Chief Secretary, Home Secretary, and Director General of Police (DGP) for allegedly defying the Apex Court’s directive to maintain status quo at the Shambhu border, where farmers have been staging protests. The petition, that was being filed by Sehajpreet Singh, accuses the Punjab Police of carrying out a forced eviction further dismantling protest sites, and detaining the important farmer leaders without obtaining prior permission from the Supreme Court of India.
Background
On July 24, 2024, the Supreme Court had issued a ruling in response to a petition by the State of Haryana, which had challenged a Punjab and Haryana High Court order directing the reopening of the Shambhu border. The border had been barricaded since February 2024 in order to prevent the protesting farmers from entering the State of Haryana. The Supreme Court, while acknowledging the public inconvenience that was being caused, had then directed the states of Punjab and Haryana to submit phased proposals for barricade removal . It thereby formed a High-Powered Committee to negotiate with the protesters. However, the recent contempt petition claims that, on March 19, 2025, Punjab Police launched a large-scale eviction at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders, deploying over 3,000 personnel, forcibly dismantling protest sites, and detaining leaders such as Jagjit Singh Dallewal and Sarwan Singh Pandher. The plea asserts that these actions were executed without Supreme Court approval, thereby constituting a violation of its status quo order.
Key Points
The Punjab Police allegedly used excessive force in order to clear the protest sites in the said case and they also removed the demonstrators. The important farmer leaders were detained in custody, and the vehicles which were belonging to the protesters were reportedly destroyed by the police. The large-scale eviction operation was being carried out without obtaining any modification or prior permission from the Supreme Court. Extensive media coverage, including news broadcasts and print articles, documented the forceful crackdown.
Recent Developments
This is the second contempt petition filed against Punjab authorities concerning the ongoing farmer protests. Previously, the Supreme Court had entertained a contempt plea against the Punjab government for failing to shift Jagjit Singh Dallewal to a hospital while he was on a hunger strike. The matter was then resolved when Dallewal agreed to medical assistance and engaged in negotiations with the Union government of India. He then, subsequently met Justice (Retired) Nawab Singh, the Chairperson of the Supreme Court-appointed High-Powered Committee, following persuasion by the Punjab government in the said case.
Conclusion
The Supreme Court in the case now seized of the matter at hand, the legal experts by analysing the said case suggest that if the contempt plea is being upheld, the responsible officials may also face penalties or be directed to take corrective measures. This case underscores the ongoing legal and administrative challenges that are surrounding the large-scale protests and the enforcement of judicial directives in general. As the matter awaits further adjudication, the Apex Court’s ruling will be pivotal in determining the extent of accountability for state actions in politically sensitive situations.
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Written by POOJA PARAMESWARAN
