SC declines to restrain CJP from holding protest

NEW DELHI, Aug 31:  The Supreme Court on Monday declined to restrain the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) from holding its proposed protest march from India Gate to Delhi Police headquarters on September 5, saying there was no compelling circumstance at present to presume that anything untoward would happen and that issues concerning permission and maintenance of law and order were for the authorities to consider.

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Issuing notice to the Central government and to Delhi police on an application seeking to restrain the march, a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana posted it for hearing on September 10 along with the main matter concerning the student protests.

The bench declined the applicant's request to take up the matter on September 3, ahead of the proposed march.

"We have no doubt that organisers will behave responsibly we can't presume anything untoward will happen all these factors can be considered by the authorities, we can't do it," CJI Kant said.

The application was filed by retired Delhi Police officer Rajendra Singh, represented by advocate Rizwan Ahmed, who expressed apprehension that mischievous elements could infiltrate the march, leading to a recurrence of the violence witnessed during the July 20 protest.

Singh sought postponement of the September 5 march until after September 15, citing the BRICS Summit scheduled for September 12 and 13. He contended that large demonstrations should not be permitted in sensitive areas of the national capital without requisite police permission and said that, to his knowledge, the CJP had not yet sought such permission.

Ahmed argued that the apprehension arose from the experience of the July 20 protest and cautioned that even if the CJP itself remained peaceful, other elements could create trouble.

The Chief Justice, however, said questions of permission and maintenance of law and order fell within the domain of the government and police authorities. The applicant could place his apprehensions before the Centre or the Delhi government, which were required to act in accordance with law, the bench said.

CJP has announced the September 5 protest, alleging that the Central government failed to honour its commitment to withdraw cases against students who participated in the July protest at Jantar Mantar over alleged question-paper leaks, including NEET 2026. (UNI)