New Delhi, July 28 -- The Supreme Court on Monday indicated that it may frame nationwide guidelines governing the handling of protests, observing that while the constitutional right to peaceful protest must be protected, violence by demonstrators and excessive use of force by police were equally unacceptable. A bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant said that it was equally concerned about injuries suffered by protesters and police personnel during demonstrations, and stressed that "self-imposed discipline" by protesters and police personnel was integral to a functioning democracy. "There has to be a protocol in place. Everyone has a right to protest so long as it is with due permission and at designated places. But if some anti-social elements have done anything, that can also be looked into," CJI said. Senior advocate Vikas Singh urged the court to evolve uniform norms. "There have to be pan-India guidelines and some kind of balancing," Singh submitted. Agreeing that the issue transcended any one state, the CJI said all petitions would be heard together. "We will list all the matters tomorrow. Do not take it adversely. If there are excesses committed, that can be looked into dispassionately...who has done it etc.It is not a question of Delhi alone but it is an all-India issue. It cannot be that there is an agitation and hence a lathi charge. It can also not be that violence occurs in protests," justice Kant added.P4...