Delhi protests: SC to hear plea seeking contempt action against authorities on Sunday

The Supreme Court will deliberate on Sunday about a petition asking for contempt proceedings against authorities who allegedly disregarded its October 9 order to maintain metro and train services during protests in Delhi. The case will be heard by Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana. The petition, filed by advocates Shailendra Mani Tripathi and Chand Qureshi, accuses Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar, and DMRC chairperson D Thara of deliberately not complying with the court's directives.

The dispute began with restrictions imposed before the proposed demonstration by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at Jantar Mantar on October 10, with the party and student organizations calling for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation over alleged irregularities in the Election Commission's functioning. On October 9, a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Bagchi and Mohana had directed the Central government to ensure there was no "complete prohibition" on metro and train movement into the capital the next day.

Despite the court's directives, Delhi saw extensive security measures, including police denial of the gathering and deployment of barricades and checkpoints. Opposition leaders, students, lawyers, and activists were detained while attempting to join the protest, leading to separate legal interventions, including Chief Justice Surya Kant's communication to authorities for the release of lawyers detained outside the Supreme Court.