Punjab And Haryana High Court: Directed Haryana Govt For Ensuring Unhindered Traffic On NH-44, Asked State To Use Force As Last Resort; Farmer’s Protest

The Punjab And Haryana High Court in the case Randeep Tanwar v.State of Haryana & others observed and has stated that NH-44 is the ‘life line’ of the country in order to ensure free movement of traffic on the national highway, without any hindrance, so that the public at large is not put to any kind of inconvenience.
The bench comprising of Justice Manjari Nehru Kaul and Justice Manisha Batra in the case observed and has stated that the direction shall be given effect forthwith, without any further delay. The court in the case also made it clear that the administration in the case shall exercise utmost restraint and would use force to disperse the mob collected at the spot, thus, only as a last resort
Further, it has also been directed by the Haryana’s Chief Secretary in order to submit the report wherein the report stated the steps taken in pursuance of the directions along with status report on next date, June 16, 2023.
In the present case, the PIL was moved before the court for issuance of directions to stop the protestors from gathering at National Highway-44, at the behest of Bhartiya Kisan Union and others. Therefore, it has also been argued before the court that the Union had removed the blockade after the directions issued in September,2022 but it has again threatened in order to block the road in case the purchase of produce of Surajmukhi crop is not initiated at the earliest.
The court in the case noted that the large mob was gathered since afternoon at Shahabad. Thus, the petitioner played video recording of News Channels wherein some leaders of Union are seen asking the administration in order to divert traffic from NH-4, as they would soon start blocking of the traffic.
The court issued the directions to keep the NH-44 open for free flow, while considering the video recording, photographs and the other material on record.
Accordingly, the court listed the matter to be next heard for further consideration on June 13, 2023.
The counsel, Advocate Padamkant Dwivedi appeared for the petitioner.