Delhi High Court questions Jantar Mantar as protest venue, asks police to decide plea

The Delhi High Court questioned the practice of holding protests at Jantar Mantar, saying the city should not be inconvenienced by demonstrations. It directed Delhi Police to decide by Saturday on a plea seeking permission for a peaceful protest on August 10

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Friday questioned keeping Jantar Mantar the designated site for protests and agitation, saying, why should an entire city be “put to ransom” due to demonstrations in the heart of the capital.

“According to me, these things should not happen in the city. But it is the government’s call. Why should the city be put to ransom unnecessarily?” Justice Amit Mahajan remarked orally.

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The court was hearing a petition by All India Dalit Christian Rights Protection Committee seeking a direction to Delhi Police to decide its request for permission to hold a peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar on August 10 between 10 am and 1 pm.

After the senior counsel for the petitioner submitted that Delhi Police has not decided on the organisation’s request for permission to protest at Jantar Mantar since July 9, Justice Mahajan observed, “Personally speaking, why should protests happen inside the city?”

Asserting that law and order is domain of the police, Justice Mahajan, nonetheless, asked Delhi Police to decide on the petitioner’s request by Saturday.

The judge said he was not passing any direction on whether permission should be granted or denied, but the petitioner should be informed about the decision of the authorities.

Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma said Independence Day is around the corner and prohibitory orders are in place in the said area.

He also informed that the Supreme Court is already considering the issue of having an alternative protest site.

On August 3, the Supreme Court agreed to examine a PIL contending that Jantar Mantar in the heart of the capital is no longer a suitable venue for protests as they cause inconvenience to residents and disrupt essential services.

The petitioner’s counsel said around 75 persons were expected to join the protest, and Delhi Police can even assign an alternative protest venue to them for August 10.

“The Delhi Police shall decide the application and convey its decision by tomorrow,” the court said.

The petitioner is seeking permission to protest peacefully at the Jantar Mantar over their long-standing demand for inclusion of Dalit Christians within the Scheduled Castes framework.