SC to hear all parties, ensure no inconvenience in pleas over Delhi protest clampdown

The Supreme Court on Sunday said it would hear all parties and ensure that no inconvenience was caused while considering pleas challenging the security restrictions imposed in Delhi ahead of the Cockroach Janta Party's (CJP) protest.

A bench of Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana made the observations during a special sitting while hearing a plea seeking contempt proceedings against authorities for allegedly violating the court's direction against a complete prohibition on metro and train services in the national capital.

“We know you all are aggrieved by what happened yesterday. We are not here to trivialise what happened,” the bench said, adding that the top court was always at the service of the nation.

The court is also hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy challenging the detention of political leaders.

The contempt plea, filed by advocate Shailendra Mani Tripathi, names Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation chairperson D Thara as respondents.

The petition refers to the Supreme Court's October 9 order, passed while hearing a separate plea challenging the closure of 57 metro stations and cancellation of trains to Delhi in view of the planned protest.

The demonstration was called by the CJP and student organisations seeking the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the functioning of the Election Commission.

Authorities prevented the planned mobilisation at Jantar Mantar on Saturday amid extensive security restrictions and the detention of more than 7,000 protesters, including CJP leader Abhijeet Dipke, opposition leaders and YouTuber Dhruv Rathee.