Supreme Court seeks Centre's reply on festive-season CEC protests

The Supreme Court sought responses from the Centre and others on traders' plea against ongoing CEC protests. The case tests how protest rights should be balanced with commerce and public access.

In Short

• Traders alleged shops near Ramlila Maidan suffered heavy festive-season business losses
• Petitions cited mass detentions, police brutality, Metro closures and internet suspension
• Organisers must be added before the court can decide disputes

The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought responses from the Centre and others on a plea by traders' organisations seeking a halt to ongoing protests against the chief election commissioner during the festive season, news agency Press Trust of India reported.

The court said a protest site could not be occupied for "all times to come" and that everyone had the right to protest during a designated period.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana was hearing several pleas, including one filed by the Kirana Committee Delhi, which alleged that businesses had suffered because of a protest at Ramlila Maidan.

"You can't occupy a site at all times. Where will farmers, journalists, etc., go? Everyone has the right to protest. Designated time must be given for designated period," the Chief Justice said.

The batch of pleas also raised issues of alleged mass detention, police brutality, the closure of Metro stations and an internet shutdown, according to PTI.

The bench asked the traders' bodies to include the organisers of the protest against the chief election commissioner as parties to their plea. It said the court could not decide the issues unless all protesting organisations were made parties.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the traders, said 50 lakh people lived in areas near the protest site, all shops remained closed and there was nobody in CP on Tuesday.

The hearing was underway. On October 15, the bench had sought responses from the Election Commission and others on a plea filed by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and 12 opposition leaders over alleged large-scale voter deletions and irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision.

The court is considering the traders' concerns over business losses alongside pleas concerning alleged detentions, police action, transport disruptions and an internet shutdown linked to the protests.

- Ends