SC refuses to restrict CJP's September 5 march in Delhi, says authorities expected to maintain law

The Supreme Court of India on Monday declined to issue directions restricting a proposed protest march by the Cockroach Janta Party in New Delhi on September 5. A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, alongside Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, ruled that decisions regarding law and order fall under the jurisdiction of the Central Government and the Delhi administration, stressing that all stakeholders are expected to act peacefully and within the legal framework.

Refusing to interfere with the planned demonstration, the apex court stated there were no compelling circumstances to presume the mobilisation would turn violent. The bench maintained that law enforcement authorities must decide whether to grant permission for the Cockroach Janta Party rally and under what conditions, leaving questions of public safety to executive discretion.

The court was hearing petitions filed by Shivam Upadhyay and retired Delhi Police officer Rajendra Singh, who sought restrictions on large-scale demonstrations in security-sensitive locations across Lutyens Delhi, including Central Vista and India Gate. Advocate Rizwan Ahmad, representing Singh, urged the court to defer the September 5 march until after the BRICS Summit scheduled for September 12 and 13 in New Delhi, warning that potential unrest could attract negative global media attention.

The bench declined to grant the deferment, making a clear distinction between executive law and order matters and core judicial issues. However, Chief Justice Surya Kant noted that petitioners could approach the court again if an alarming situation arose that directly fell within the judiciary's core domain. The court also rejected requests to summon representatives of the party, noting that no formal organized group was present before it to receive notice.

The Cockroach Janta Party announced the three-kilometer march from India Gate to the Delhi Police headquarters to protest alleged unfulfilled government assurances following an earlier demonstration at Jantar Mantar. The protest is backed by the All India Students Association and led by families of students impacted by National Eligibility cum Entrance Test exam cancellations and suicides, as well as those protesting alleged police action during a July 20 rally.

Addressing requests for a comprehensive probe into the July 20 clashes between police and demonstrators, the Supreme Court directed petitioners to submit their representations to the High-Powered Enquiry Committee. Headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice R Subhash Reddy, the five-member independent panel was established by the court on August 18 to investigate allegations of police excesses, protester violence, and public property damage.

The court emphasized that the independent panel operates under its direct supervision and will provide recommendations before further judicial directions are issued. The Supreme Court ordered copies of the petitions to be served on both the Union government and the Delhi government, posting the next hearing in the matter for September 10.

#SupremeCourt #Delhi #ProtestMarch #CockroachJantaParty #SuryaKant #BRICSSummit #NEET #IndiaGate