‘SC hearing similar plea’: HC declines petition for ₹50 cr from CJP over protest damages

In his petition, Saini contended that millions of ordinary citizens had faced persistent harassment, inconvenience, and hardship over the past month due to the protests.

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday declined to entertain a petition seeking directions to the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) to deposit ₹50 crore as interim compensation for the alleged inconvenience and disruption its protests caused Delhi residents.

A bench of acting chief justice Nitin Sambre and justice Sanjay Sharma observed that the Supreme Court was already dealing with petitions seeking similar relief.

A bench of acting chief justice Nitin Sambre and justice Sanjay Sharma observed that the Supreme Court was already dealing with petitions seeking similar relief.

The court, however, granted petitioner advocate RK Saini liberty to approach the apex court.

“It is brought to our notice that similar reliefs are before the Supreme Court. Judicial discipline warrants that this court should stay its hands and should not pass conflicting orders. The petition is disposed of with liberty to approach the apex court,” the court said in the order.

In his petition, Saini contended that millions of ordinary citizens had faced persistent harassment, inconvenience, and hardship over the past month due to the protests, with the disruption expected to continue through the ongoing festive season.

He claimed the situation had adversely affected small traders, lower- and middle-income consumers, junior-level employees, and schoolchildren.

Representing the Centre, solicitor general Tushar Mehta, along with additional solicitor general Chetan Sharma and standing counsel Premtosh Mishra, stated that the same issue was also pending before the top court.

The apex court, earlier this month, warned it could invoke its constitutional tort jurisdiction to award compensation if protests in Delhi disproportionately affect traders and daily-wage earners, expressing concern over the hardship small businesses face during the festive season. A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi made the observations while hearing a plea raising concerns over the CJP’s call for a gathering at Central Park in Connaught Place on October 16. The court hoped that “better sense will prevail” and that the competing interests of protesters, traders and authorities would be balanced.