'Remove Barricades Unless Warranted': Indian Supreme Court orders amid CJP protest

The Supreme Court in a special sitting today to hear petitions against the closure of Delhi metro stations due to the CJP protests, has said all the barricades should be removed unless "absolutely warranted."

It also told the authorities to withdraw the enforcement of Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023 which bans large gatherings.

"We have been informed that a notice under Section 163 has been imposed in and around the Supreme Court. We direct the authorities to take down the restriction so that there is no apprehension of access to justice with regard to ingress and egress to the Supreme Court or any other court," a bench of Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana said.

It said free movement of people should be normalised, subject to regulation in a public order situation.

Today's observation came on a contempt petition filed by lawyer Shailendra Mani Tripathi. The petition referred to the Supreme Court's October 9 order which was passed while hearing a separate matter against the closure of 57 metro stations and cancellation of trains to Delhi amid the planned protest by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).

The bench said people have a right to protest but it should be within the Police Act.

"You have a right to protest, absolutely no quarrel on that but the process in which you protest has to be within the Police Act," the Supreme Court said.

Justice Bagchi told the petitioner they cannot say their right to protest is beyond the Police Act. The Supreme Court then issued notice to the authorities including Delhi Police, Union Home Secretary and the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on the detentions and the circumstances surrounding them.

Source: NDTV