A bench of Justice AK Sikri and Justice Ashok Bhushan, after hearing several petitions, said that there cannot be a complete ban on holding protests the at above mentioned places and directed the Centre to frame guidelines on the matter
The Supreme Court on Monday ended the blanket ban on holding protests at Jantar Mantar and the Boat Club on Rajpath by citing that there should be a balance between security considerations and the right to protest.
A bench of Justice AK Sikri and Justice Ashok Bhushan, after hearing several petitions, said that there cannot be a complete ban on holding protests the at above mentioned places and directed the Centre to frame guidelines on the matter.
SC has today struck down the Govt's ban on rallies & meetings in the Boat club & Jantar Mantar area of Delhi. This ban was a gross violation of the fundamental right of people to meet, assemble & protest. Court has asked the police commissioner to frame guidelines within 2 months
— Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1)Last year, The National Green Tribunal, evoking Section 144 CrPC, called for a ban on all forms of protests at the venue as they violated environmental laws.
Following this decision, all make-shift structures, loudspeakers and other stuffs used in rallies were moved from the venues.
Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sanghtan, who played an important role in getting the Right to Information (RTI) law passed in the country, approached the apex court challenged this ban. Founder member Aruna Roy said that this decision violated the citizens’ right to protest.
These venues have been popular places of holding protests in the country from time immemorial and have witnessed several famous movements like the anti-corruption movement by Anna Hazare, Babri Masjid demolition protests and the Tamil Nadu farmers’ protest.
Twitter reactions to the decision of the SC were a mixed bag.
Welcome SC order. It exposed bad Government mensurea to minimize fundamental right of people of India n slapped government with iron hand.
— Bijay Narayan Khaitan (@KhaitanBijay)Welcome SC order. It exposed bad Government mensurea to minimize fundamental right of people of India n slapped government with iron hand.
— Bijay Narayan Khaitan (@KhaitanBijay)Sir What about ?? SC has today struck down the Govt's ban on rallies & meetings in the Boat club & Jantar Mantar area of Delhi. This ban was a gross violation of the fundamental right of people to meet, assemble & protest.
— Kirti - A Father (@Indianfathers)Dont know the meaning of "complete ban". Whatever SC is saying that is only going to create more chaos in the already chaos-ridden Delhi.
— Sushant K Jha (@jhasushant)Hon'ble SC could, perhaps, do some worthwhile things and leave these trivialities for now!
— Bankim Mazumdar (@Bankim1555)Read Exclusive COVID-19 Coronavirus News updates, at MyNation.