Bill repealing three farm laws gets President's assent

The Bill to cancel the Centre's three controversial farm laws has been signed by President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday. The three laws have been repealed by both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha in the fastest repeal in recent years amid protests by the opposition parties.

The Parliament passed the bill with voice vote amid protests by the Congress and TMC members. The repeal of these three legislations has been one of the key demands of around 40 farmer unions protesting at various Delhi border points since November 26, 2020.

The winter session of Parliament is scheduled to conclude on December 23.

On November 19, in a special address to the nation, Prime Minister Modi announced that all three farm laws will be repealed in the Winter Session, adding that the legislatures were brought for the welfare of farmers, especially small farmers, but his government could not explain the benefits to some of them despite its efforts.

The three laws are The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act; The Farmers' (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act; and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act.

The repeal of these three legislations has been one of the key demands of around 40 farmer unions protesting against these reforms for nearly a year now at various Delhi border points.

The laws, which are under suspension following a Supreme Court order in January this year, had triggered widespread protests by thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh.

The protests, that started in November 2020, are still continuing. The unions are asking for a legal guarantee to Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops, among other demands.