- Supreme Court holds special Sunday sitting regarding non-compliance.
- Plea alleges defiance of prior order on transport restrictions.
- Court also hears plea challenging Opposition leaders’ detentions.
- Several leaders detained despite court’s transport regulation directive.
The Supreme Court will hold a special sitting on Sunday, October 11, to hear a contempt plea filed by Shailendra Mani Tripathi against Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan over alleged non-compliance with its October 9 directions on public transport restrictions in Delhi ahead of the Cockroach Janata Party’s (CJP) protest, according to reports.
The top court will also hear a petition filed by Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Menaka Guruswamy challenging the detention of Opposition leaders during the protest in the national capital, according to reports.
“Such preventive detentions cannot be used to suppress the fundamental right to peaceful protest, particularly against leaders who have previously governed States”, Guruswamy told Bar and Bench.
A special Bench comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana will hear the matters. The contempt plea alleges that authorities failed to comply with the Supreme Court’s directions concerning the Delhi protests.
Opposition Leaders Detained Across Delhi During CJP Protest
Several Opposition leaders, including former chief ministers Arvind Kejriwal of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Mamata Banerjee of the TMC, Pinarayi Vijayan of the CPI(M) and Manik Sarkar of the CPI(M), were detained from multiple locations across the capital as they attempted to join the protest called by the CJP.
The petition filed by Guruswamy concerns the detention of Opposition leaders during the demonstrations.
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What Did The Supreme Court Order On Public Transport Restrictions?
On Friday, the Supreme Court directed the government and Delhi Police to lift blanket restrictions on Metro and railway services ahead of Saturday’s proposed protests in Delhi. It clarified that security measures could not result in a complete shutdown of public transport, causing inconvenience to millions of residents.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Bagchi and Mohana said authorities could regulate train operations to prevent unlawful gatherings but could not bring the entire system to a halt.
The Bench emphasised that the rights of Delhi residents to access public facilities and move freely must also be protected.
“Stopping something and regulating are two different concepts. One can regulate but it is completely different to put a halt on everything…you cannot stop everything,” the Bench observed.
Metro Station Closures Reduced From 57 To 45
Following the Supreme Court’s observations on blanket restrictions, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) revised its order, reducing the number of metro stations scheduled for closure from 57 to 45.
However, internet services were shut down around Jantar Mantar, while several trains bound for Delhi were cancelled.
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