The Supreme Court on Tuesday deferred its hearing
till January 2 on compliance of its order by the Punjab government on shifting
of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been fasting for past 35 days
over various demands, to hospital.
A vacation bench of Justices Surya Kant and
Sudhanshu Dhulia listed the matter for further hearing on January 2 after
Advocate General Gurminder Singh, appearing for the Punjab government, said
that an application has been moved seeking three days more time for compliance
of the court's December 20 order.
Singh said that a team of negotiators are holdings
talks with the protesting farmers at the protest site and efforts are being
made to shift Dallewal to the nearby makeshift hospital on Punjab side of
Khanauri border.
The bench said it does not want to comment on the
discussions with the protesting farmers and it only wants compliance of its
earlier orders.
It recorded the submissions of Singh and adjourned
the hearing on the matter.
Earlier on December 28, the top court came down
heavily on the Punjab government for not shifting Dallewal to a hospital even
as it doubted the intention of the agitating farmers for resisting availability
of medical aid to their septuagenarian leader.
Dallewal has been on an indefinite fast at the
Khanauri border point between Punjab and Haryana since November 26 to press the
Centre to accept the farmers' demands, including a legal guarantee of minimum
support price for crops.
The farmers under the banner of Samyukta Kisan
Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have been camping at Shambhu
and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 after
their march to Delhi was stopped by the security forces.