Thread by @utkarsh_aanand

#SupremeCourt comes down heavily on Central Govt over #FarmLaws, questions its consultation process and the insistence to implement even in face of such protests.

SC asks Govt if they will stay the implementation of the law or the court will stay the operation of the #FarmLaws.

Court says it wants to form a committee which can then submit a report on these laws.

"Extremely disappointed with the manner the Govt is dealing with the issue..matter has only become worse," #CJI reprimands Govt.

SG Tushar Mehta: The #FarmLaws are progressive..a vast majority is in favour of them

#CJI: We don't have a single petition before us that has told us it is beneficial. Let that vast majority go to the committee we will form and say all this.

AG KK Venugopal: Can't stay a law in such a drastic manner

#CJI: That's an incomplete picture. The latest stay is on Maratha reservation by a three-judge bench.

AG is now giving citations of cases to oppose staying the operation of the law.

AG: Farmers from 2-3 states have protested but not from seven states. Why? Because they think they are beneficial. There cannot be a petition for implementing a law.

AG also cites the proposed tractor rally on Jan 26 but sr adv Dushyant Dave, for farmers' unions, denies this.

#CJI: Right to protest should be exercised the way Mahatma Gandhi did it and the proetst was on a much larger scale. Right to protest has to be exercised peacefully.

AG requests SC to record Dave's statement that there won't be any disruption to R-Day parade.

Dave: Those tractors won't affect the parade. Every family in Punjab has a soldier & respect R-Day.

AG: So will these tractors come in to join the R-Day parade?

AG: Wait till Jan 15th when the next round of talks are scheduled.

#CJI: No, no..we don't want to repeat the criticism but the government isn't handling it correctly. We want to pass an order today itself.

#CJI: Who is going to be responsible for a bloodshed. We are constitutional court and we have a duty to protect people's life and property. Who will be responsible if something serious happens tomorrow?

Sr adv Harish Salve, for a Delhi-resident, requests SC to at least have an assurance from the unions they will go to the committee if the law is stayed.

Dave, however, says he will need to take instructions on this since there are 400 organisations involved.

#CJI asks Dave not to create an odd situation where the unions went to the government but won't want to come to the committee.

Dave asks for at least a day for a response.

Salve adds the court should also be mindful about a possibility that protests can scale up demanding repeal of the laws now that the Govt has been pushed on the back-foot by staying their implementation.

Dave again seeks a day's time to consult the unions.

Various other farmers' group also join the proceedings, stating they are in support of the #FarmLaws & don't want these to be stayed at the instance of some other organisations.

Adv Rahul Mehra, for Delhi Govt, blames the ego of the Central Govt for continuing stalemate. He hails the court for trying to end the impasse. Mehra also questions if Salve's client is a proxy litigant, backed by some governments.

Sr adv Colin Gonsalves informs SC that unions have engaged himself, Dave, Prashant Bhushan and HS Phoolka to represent them. He adds the lawyers will go back & consult farmers today itself about the proposed action by the court.

#CJI to unions' lawyers: Give them a message that the chief justice wants children, women & old people to go back in the interest of their health & safety. After we stay the law, there won't be nothing to fight for. They should be persuaded to go back at some point

AG resists staying the implementation of the law, tells putting in abeyance implementation of a law is as good as staying the law & that's not possible without examining a law. "Also, ask union if they will only ask for repealing the laws."

Farmers' unions suggest ex CJI RM Lodha as head of the committee. Govt says it will suggest names tomorrow.

#CJI discloses he had asked former CJI & Kerala Governor P Sathasivam but he was disinclined since he doesn't understand Hindi.

The bench rises, order late in the evening today or tomorrow sometime.