Supreme Court Seeks Centre’s Response On Closure Of 17 Delhi Metro Stations During CJP Protests

On September 11, 2026, the Supreme Court requested responses from the Union and Delhi governments, the Delhi Police, and the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) concerning a legal challenge to the closure of 17 Delhi Metro stations during protests by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) in Central Delhi over leaked NEET-UG 2026 question papers. The case, filed by Sparsh Kant Nayak, a resident of Delhi, was heard by a three-judge Bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant.

During the hearing, the court noted that the Executive generally controls matters of law and order, limiting judicial review to intervene only when discretionary powers are used grossly disproportionately. Justice Joymalya Bagchi stated that the court would only step in if the Executive's actions exceeded reasonable limits and served the public interest. She emphasized that standard operating procedures are merely a "mirage" and that courts typically defer to executive authority in such matters.

The petition argued that the closures, claimed to be for security reasons, disrupted commuter movement and infringed upon the public's right to move freely. It questioned the absence of provisions under the Metro Railways Act allowing for station closures and the lack of statutory procedures for such actions, noting that communication was made via social media.

The court acknowledged that traffic and commuter restrictions are typically issued by the Commissioner of Police or Superintendent of Police under relevant laws. The matter will be reconsidered after responses are submitted by the concerned authorities.