Contempt plea in SC over Delhi metro, railway curbs despite court order
text_fields
New Delhi: Advocate Shailendra Mani Tripathi has moved the Supreme Court seeking contempt proceedings against senior officials over alleged violations of its October 9 order prohibiting a complete suspension of Metro and railway services in Delhi ahead of a protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The petition names Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) Chairperson D. Thara, alleging that restrictions continued despite the court’s directions.
Tripathi claimed that entry and exit gates at 45 Metro stations remained closed and train services were cancelled or curtailed, disrupting public transport. He said he visited GTB Nagar and Vishwavidyalaya Metro stations at around 9.30 pm and found their gates locked, which he recorded on video.
The plea also alleged that authorities had failed to adequately publicise revised travel arrangements. Tripathi claimed that during a visit to Jantar Mantar at around 8.30 pm, he found police and paramilitary personnel at the protest site but no demonstrators. He sought the withdrawal of blanket restrictions on Metro and railway services.
On Friday, a Bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana, directed authorities not to completely halt Metro train operations ahead of the proposed demonstration by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).
The court distinguished between stopping services entirely and regulating operations, stressing that preventive measures must be proportionate to the anticipated law-and-order situation. The direction followed Solicitor General Tushar Mehta’s assurance that restrictions would be reconsidered.
The Bench also ordered authorities to publicise revised travel arrangements and issue a traffic advisory. Restrictions had included reduced train frequency at 57 stations and closure of station gates from 9 pm on October 9 until normalcy returned on October 10.
The DMRC, concerned railway authorities and Delhi Police (Traffic) must submit compliance reports within four days. The court also asked authorities to consider alternative protest venues with basic facilities.
Police had denied permission for the demonstration, citing public safety, traffic and law-and-order concerns, with prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita in force in New Delhi.
With IANS inputs