SC questions Greater Noida Magistrate’s notice to student over CJP protest

New Delhi, Sep 9: The Supreme Court on Wednesday questioned the Greater Noida Executive Magistrate’s decision to issue a notice under Section 130 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita to a student allegedly campaigning for participation in student protests proposed by the Cockroach Janata Party.

The Court observed that such a notice could not have been issued when it had already quashed the FIRs related to the protests and directed that no coercive action be taken against students in connection with the CJP protests. The issue was raised before a bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant by Senior Advocate Bishwajit Bhattacharyya, who said a Greater Noida Executive Magistrate had issued a notice to a second-year Gautam Buddha University student, directing him to furnish a personal bond of Rs 5 lakh to maintain peace.

The notice was reportedly later withdrawn. The CJI questioned how the Magistrate could issue such a notice despite the Supreme Court’s earlier direction barring coercive action against students linked to the protests. The Court asked the lawyer to place the notice on record and said it would seek an explanation from the authorities.

The notice, issued on September 4 under Sections 126 and 135 of the BNSS, alleged that student Akshat Tripathi was encouraging others to join a proposed CJP protest and that his activities could lead to a breach of peace. (UNI)