The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Punjab government to submit the health reports of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is continuing an indefinite hunger strike since November 26, 2024.
The reports will be forwarded to the medical board of AIIMS for its expert opinion.
A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh expressed concern over how Dallewal’s health parameters appeared to show improvement despite nearly 50 days of fasting.
The court instructed the Punjab government’s chief secretary to submit the reports to the apex court registrar during the course of the day.
The registrar has been directed to promptly communicate the reports to the AIIMS director to obtain a medical assessment from the board.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the Punjab government, informed the bench of progress in deliberations with protesting farmers.
He stated that a makeshift hospital had been set up just 10 metres from the protest site for Dallewal, adding that representatives of the central government were also engaging with the protesters.
On January 6, the farmer leader met a Supreme Court-appointed committee chaired by Justice (retd) Nawab Singh.
The Punjab government had persuaded the protesting farmers to engage with the panel in an effort to resolve the stalemate.
Dallewal, who is the convener of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) (non-political), began his hunger strike to demand action on farmers' issues. Despite declining medical aid, his health has deteriorated significantly.
The ongoing protest, organised under the banners of SKM and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, has seen farmers camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13, 2023, following their march to Delhi being halted by security forces.
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