India, Sept. 11 -- The Supreme Court on Thursday sought the Centre's response to a plea raising important constitutional questions over the closure of 17 Delhi Metro stations during the July protests led by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), including whether a public utility can be shut without a specific statutory power or formal order.

A bench, comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, issued notice on the plea, which argued that the shutdown violated the constitutional rights of the public at large and failed the tests of proportionality and least restrictive means.

The petition contended that there was no provision under the Metro Railways (Operation and Maintenance) Act authorising the closure o...