New Delhi
The Delhi High Court on Friday observed that protests should not be held at Jantar Mantar, saying such demonstrations unnecessarily put the entire city to inconvenience.
A bench of Justice Amit Mahajan, however, said the decision on whether protests should be allowed at the designated site was for the government to take, as law and order falls within the police’s domain.
“According to me, these things should not happen in the city, but it’s the government’s call. Law-and-order is the police’s department. Why should the city be put to ransom unnecessarily? Personally, if you have to ask me… I don’t think protests should happen inside the city,” the bench said, adding that demonstrations could affect movement across the Capital, including that of ambulances.
The court made the observations while hearing a petition filed by the All-India Dalit Christian Rights Protection Committee seeking directions to Delhi Police to allow it to hold a protest at Jantar Mantar on August 10 over the long-standing demand for inclusion of Dalit Christians in the Scheduled Castes category.
The committee’s counsel, Sanjoy Ghose, told the court that it had written to Delhi Police on July 9 seeking permission for a three-hour protest. He said the proposed demonstration would involve no march, procession, overnight stay, tents, hunger strike or occupation of public roads. However, the police had not yet decided the request, he submitted.
Additional solicitor general Chetan Sharma, appearing for Delhi Police, said the force would take a decision on the request by the following day and communicate it to the committee.
{{/usCountry}}Additional solicitor general Chetan Sharma, appearing for Delhi Police, said the force would take a decision on the request by the following day and communicate it to the committee.
{{/usCountry}}On the court’s observations about protests at Jantar Mantar, Sharma said the Supreme Court was already seized of the issue of whether the centrally located site could continue to be designated as a protest venue.
To be sure, the Supreme Court on Monday had agreed to examine a public interest litigation seeking an alternative site to Jantar Mantar as Delhi’s designated protest venue. The petitioner had argued that repeated demonstrations at the site had become a persistent inconvenience for residents and disrupted access to essential services.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana had issued notices to the Centre, Delhi government and other authorities on the plea filed by Satish Chand Kaushik. The bench had also asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to obtain instructions on the issues raised, observing that the petition concerned important questions relating to public access and movement.
In view of the assurance given by Delhi Police that it would decide the committee’s request, the high court disposed of the petition.