India's Supreme Court refused a petition demanding eviction of protesting farmers, from roadways which had come under the banner of Samyukta Kisan Morcha which was termed to be non-political. On these grounds, the matter being already dealt in judicial verdicts, SC made this judgment that such kind of petitions should not come for submission before it at timely intervals.Background They have been camping on highways across Delhi since late 2020, protesting demanding contentious agricultural reforms. Assuring MSP and withdrawing the laws they feel are pro-corporate and anti-farmer is at the core of their demands. Though the Indian government rolled back the three contentious farm laws in 2021, the protesters have continued to take the streets and demand better guarantees. The prolonged siege of highways has caused immense hardship in the daily commute and the freight movement, which raises legitimate legal challenges to urge removal. Plea key points The petitioner argued that blocking highways is a violation of the right to free movement under Article 19(1)(d) of the Constitution and causes inconvenience to the public. They argued that demonstrations should take place in the designated places, not on the public roads. Supreme Court Judgment The Supreme Court bench, dismissing the plea, observed: The issue of highway protests had been dealt with earlier and directions had been given to weigh up the right to protest with the right of movement by the public. The Court has reiterated its disinclination to entertain repetitive petitions on settled issues. Rights of Protestors: The Court came to understand that while public inconvenience needs to be reduced to the bare minimum, peaceful protest is the fundamental democratic right as envisaged under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution. Responsibilities of the Authorities: The court observed that while dealing with such protests, the executive and the local authority are more responsible in striking a balance of citizens' rights between the two without depriving the crux of democratic expression. Reaction to the Judgement It's the vindication of its democratic right to peaceful protest, say leaders of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha. Once again, it emphasizes that their movement is non-political and targets grievance redressal by farmers. Critics feel blockades that go on for too long disturb public life and require stronger enforcement of legal measures controlling public space. The Supreme Court decision underlines in no uncertain terms the fine balance between democratic rights and public inconvenience. It reaffirmed the right of farmers to protest but left the onus on the authorities to manage such situations pragmatically so that they cause minimal disruption to the citizens' daily lives. This ruling has once again underlined the importance of dialogue and negotiation in resolving large-scale public grievances.