The Supreme Court has sought a response from the Union government on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Kisan Mahapanchayat, which has challenged the government’s policy of allowing duty-free imports of yellow peas, a cheaper substitute for domestically grown pulses. A bench led by justice Surya Kant, and comprising justice Ujjal Bhuyan and justice NK Singh, issued notice after hearing arguments that the government’s decision was eroding the income of Indian farmers and undermining the cultivation of traditional pulses such as tur, moong, urad, and chana. Appearing for the petitioners, senior counsel Prashant Bhushan argued that the landed cost of imported yellow peas is about Rs3,500 per quintal (Rs35 a kilo), while the minimum support price (MSP) for comparable India

See Full Page