Jantar Mantar no longer suitable venue for protests? Supreme Court seeks Centre, Delhi govt's stand

The Supreme Court has questioned the suitability of Jantar Mantar as a venue for public protests, seeking clarification from the Central government, the Delhi administration, and the Delhi Police Commissioner. This comes after years of Jantar Mantar hosting major demonstrations, including Anna Hazare's anti-corruption movement, the 2012 Nirbhaya protests, the 2023 wrestlers' agitation, and recent student protests against the NEET examination paper leak.

A three-judge bench, comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V Mohana, is currently hearing the matter. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta has been instructed to take necessary instructions. The petition argues that Jantar Mantar's current state poses challenges for managing crowds and ensuring access to essential services like medical aid.

The petitioner has requested a separate direction to designate an alternative venue for large-scale demonstrations. The court has previously released student protesters with "criminal antecedents," but clarified that this applies only to those involved in serious crimes, leaving the rest up to individual states as per the law.