New Delhi, Oct. 9 -- The Supreme Court on Friday raised concerns over the proposed closure of entry and exit gates at 57 Delhi Metro stations ahead of the Cockroach Janta Party's (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar on October 10, cautioning authorities against imposing restrictions that could leave commuters without access to public transport.
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said the measures should be proportionate to the situation and should not cause unnecessary hardship to ordinary citizens. "Everybody does not have a car. Everybody does not have access to private transport. People depend on public transport. This cannot be done," he observed. Emphasising the need to protect the interests of daily commuters, the Chief Justice said the issue was not about the protesters or any particular individual, but about the inconvenience caused to people who depend on public transport to reach work and other destinations.
He pointed to commuters travelling from Gurugram, Greater Noida, East Delhi and South Delhi, including students, employees and senior citizens, who could be affected by the restrictions. The court acknowledged that authorities could take preventive steps to maintain law and order. However, it said such measures should be limited to what was necessary and should not bring essential transport services to a halt. "You have to prevent certain things. Take measures only to the extent necessary to prevent them. But that does not mean you should use a hammer to kill a fly. That principle must be kept in mind," Justice Surya Kant said. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation had announced plans to close entry and exit gates at 57 stations from 9 pm on Friday, following a request from Delhi Police ahead of Saturday's proposed demonstration. The police cited concerns over crowd movement towards sensitive locations and the possibility of gatherings at metro stations.
The proposed restrictions cover stations across central, north, south, east and other parts of Delhi, potentially affecting commuters well beyond the immediate protest area. The demonstration has been called by the CJP and student organisations seeking the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The allegations form part of an ongoing political dispute over the voter-list revision exercise. The Supreme Court's observations came amid broader legal challenges to restrictions imposed ahead of the protest, including train cancellations and measures affecting public transport. The court stressed the need to balance the right to peaceful assembly with the public's ability to access essential services.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.