New Delhi, Aug. 31 -- The Supreme Court on Monday declined to intervene in the proposed September 5 protest march in Delhi by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), saying the responsibility for maintaining law and order lies with the Centre and Delhi government. A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said there were no compelling circumstances at present to presume that the proposed mobilisation would turn violent. The court expressed confidence that all sides would act peacefully, follow the law and respect each other's rights.
The bench was hearing petitions seeking restrictions on large-scale marches and demonstrations in security-sensitive areas of Lutyens' Delhi, including India Gate and Central Vista. The pleas also sought postponement or modification of the September 5 march until after the BRICS Summit scheduled in Delhi on September 12 and 13. The petitioners argued that the organisers had announced the march without obtaining police permission and warned that any untoward incident ahead of the international summit could attract global attention. The court, however, said such matters fell within the domain of the law-and-order authorities and declined to intervene. The court said the Centre and Delhi government would have to decide what was legal and what conditions, if any, should apply to the proposed mobilisation. It added that the petitioners could approach the court again if an alarming or untoward situation arose, provided the issue involved the court's judicial domain.
The proposed three-kilometre march, announced on August 24, is planned from India Gate to Delhi Police headquarters. It is being led by families of students who died by suicide following the cancellation and subsequent re-test of the NEET examination, along with people alleging police excesses during the July 20 agitation. The protest seeks to highlight what CJP alleges was the Centre's failure to fulfil assurances given on July 25 that had led to the withdrawal of its 36-day agitation at Jantar Mantar. The All India Students' Association has also extended support to the march and backed demands including withdrawal of FIRs against student protesters and an inquiry into allegations of firing during the earlier demonstrations.
The Supreme Court had on August 18 constituted a five-member high-powered enquiry committee headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice R Subhash Reddy to examine allegations arising from the July 20 protest. The panel is looking into claims of police excesses as well as allegations of violence by protesters, injuries to police personnel and damage to public property. The committee has also been tasked with examining allegations concerning the use of pellet guns, electric batons, lathis and tear gas, the proportionality of police action, surveillance of protesters and other related issues. It is functioning under the Supreme Court's supervision. The court on Monday directed that the petitions be served on the Centre and Delhi government and listed the matter along with a connected case for September 10.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.