Guwahati: The Delhi High Court will hear on Tuesday two petitions concerning the denotification of Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site and the alleged assault of demonstrators by outsiders during protests held against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The petitions relate to restrictions on protest venues in the national capital and allegations that people in civilian clothes assaulted demonstrators during protests against alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The issue concerning Jantar Mantar was mentioned before a bench of Acting Chief Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre and Justice Sanjay Sharma on Monday. A lawyer urged the court to take up the plea urgently, arguing that peaceful demonstrations were being curtailed without an alternative venue having been designated by the authorities.
The bench noted that the Supreme Court was also seized of the matter and had asked the Union government to file affidavits.
“The Supreme Court is equally seized of the matter. Not only that, but the Supreme Court has called on the Union to file their affidavits also. Once the Supreme Court is seized of it, we have to see — to what extent we can look at it again. That’s why let us have it tomorrow,” the court said.
Delhi Police announced on Monday that Jantar Mantar had been denotified as a designated protest site. The police designated three alternative venues for protests and demonstrations: Ramlila Maidan, Burari Ground in north Delhi and CBD Ground in east Delhi.
The court also agreed to hear on Tuesday a separate public interest litigation filed by National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) president Vinod Jakhar, seeking an independent, time-bound investigation into the alleged assaults on protesters on October 10.
The petition alleged that videos showed “anti-social elements” in civilian clothes manhandling and beating peaceful demonstrators. It argued that failure to investigate the incidents could have a chilling effect on fundamental rights, including freedom of speech and expression, peaceful assembly and movement.
The plea sought directions to authorities to preserve and hand over to investigators CCTV footage recorded between noon and 6 pm on October 10 from several locations, including Connaught Place’s Inner and Outer Circles, Indira Chowk, the stretch outside Khadi Gramodyog Bhavan, Sansad Marg, Janpath and Jantar Mantar Road.
It also sought footage from Rajiv Chowk, Janpath, Patel Chowk and Barakhamba Road Metro stations.
Hundreds of people took to the streets on October 10 and 11 to protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the SIR of electoral rolls.