NEW DELHI: Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement on November 19 about the government's decision to withdraw the three contentious farm legislations, the Union Cabinet today approved a bill to repeal the laws. 

The three laws that will be repealed are, Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020.

Briefing the media information and broadcasting minister Anurag Thakur said that the Cabinet has completed the formalities to repeal the three farm laws and the government would take them back in the upcoming session of the Parliament that has been scheduled from November 29 to December 23.

The passing of these laws had triggered massive protests by farmers and farmers from over 40 farm unions had demanded rollback of these laws holding protests in Delhi and other places. Their key demand has been the repeal of these three legislations.

After the announcement by Thakur agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar tweeted that the Cabinet's approval for recalling the laws in the very first meeting after the prime minister's announcement was a sign of the uniformity of his 'words and deeds.'

While announcing the rollback of the farm laws the PM had urged the protesting farmers to end their protest and return to their homes. The farmer unions however said that they would not call off their protest unless their six pending demands, including legal guarantee for the procurement of crops at minimum support price (MSP) is agreed by the government. 

The farmers are also demanding compensation for over 700 farmers who have lost their lives while protesting at the various sites and the arrest of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri incident.

The umbrella organisation Samyukta Kisan Morcha in a meeting on November 21 had written to the Prime Minister to immediately resume talks so that they could discuss the pending demands.