Supreme Court directs Delhi to prevent illegal detentions, restore normal metro and internet services amid protests

The Supreme Court on Sunday, October 11, directed authorities to ensure that people gathering peacefully are not illegally detained and that Delhi Metro services operate on their normal schedule, while also calling for internet services to remain uninterrupted, subject to law and order requirements.

A bench of Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana issued a notice to the Centre on a contempt petition alleging violations of the court’s October 9 order concerning restrictions on metro and train services in Delhi ahead of a protest called by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and student organisations.

The court convened a special sitting to hear urgent applications alleging that its earlier directions had been violated and that large numbers of people were illegally detained during the October 10 protests.

The applications alleged that metro services were disrupted, New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin railway stations remained closed, traffic advisories were not issued and people were subjected to harassment and detention beyond areas covered by prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023.

The bench asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to ensure that metro services function according to their normal schedule and that lawyers, journalists and others are not prevented from carrying out their professional duties.

During the hearing, Mehta told the court that entry and exit restrictions had been imposed at only 45 of the 303 metro stations across the network on Saturday.

The Supreme Court also took up a habeas corpus petition filed by senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy concerning the detention of political leaders.

The contempt petition was filed by advocate Shailendra Mani Tripathi, naming Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation chairperson D Thara as respondents.

The court’s October 9 order had been passed while hearing a separate petition challenging the closure of 57 metro stations and the cancellation of trains to Delhi in view of the planned protest.

The protest was called by CJP and several student organisations against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the functioning of the Election Commission.

On Saturday, authorities detained more than 7,000 protesters amid a major security operation that prevented the planned mobilisation at Jantar Mantar. Those detained included CJP leader Abhijit Dipke, opposition leaders and YouTuber Dhruv Rathee.