New Delhi: Delhi Police Tuesday said the decision to remove Jantar Mantar as protest site was taken in accordance with Supreme Court ’s directions.
IYC had applied to police on Sept 25 for a peaceful demonstration of 100 to 150 people at Jantar Mantar from Oct 1 to 25. It said it had undertaken to comply with all lawful conditions concerning security, traffic, discipline and public order, but the prayer was rejected on Oct 1.
It informed Delhi High Court that the apex court on Oct 9 stressed the need for “suitable alternative sites” for protests to be identified and designated. Additional solicitor general Chetan Sharma contended before Justice Amit Mahajan that in view of the police’s decision naming Ramlila Maidan, Burari Ground and CBD Ground as new designated sites for agitations, a plea by Indian Youth Congress (IYC) seeking permission to protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar at Jantar Mantar was “infructuous”. We have denotified Jantar Mantar pursuant to orders of SC,” the ASG told HC. HC also issued notice to police on IYC president Uday Bhanu Chib’s plea against “automatic, mechanical, unguided or disproportionate prohibition of peaceful assembly without an individualised assessment and consideration of less restrictive regulatory policy” as well as the requirement to apply for a protest at least 10 days prior to the proposed date. “The proposed demonstration arises out of concerns regarding transparency, accountability and functioning of constitutional institutions, and was proposed as a peaceful exercise of the petitioner’s right to freedom of speech and expression and the right to assemble peacefully and without arms,” it said.
“The entire petition is about peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar. All other prayers flow from it. He also submitted that a similar plea challenging the denotification of Jantar Mantar is in the apex court. The petitioner’s senior counsel Sidharth Luthra, however, submitted he would amend the plea in view of the development and urged HC to seek police’s stand on the other prayers.
IYC, through Chib, then approached the court earlier this month challenging the denial of permission.