Supreme Court Seeks Response from Home Ministry Over Protests and Transport Disruptions

Court Notice

The Supreme Court issued a show-cause notice to relevant Home Ministry officials to explain why contempt proceedings should not be started against them over alleged violations of a court order. Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana held a special Sunday hearing on petitions regarding police actions during protests in Delhi. Officials must file an affidavit with their response, and the case will be heard next Tuesday.

Transport and Internet

The bench directed that Delhi metro and rail services must run normally, stating that transport systems cannot be completely shut down. While appearing for the authorities, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta stated that all metro stations had been reopened by 10 p.m. the previous night and trains were running normally. However, lawyers pointed out that 45 out of 303 metro stations had restricted entry and exit. The court also ordered that internet services must remain uninterrupted and that barricading must be reviewed.

Detentions and Police Action

Senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy claimed that about 7,000 people were detained during the protests, including four former chief ministers: Mamata Banerjee, Arvind Kejriwal, Pinarayi Vijayan, and Manik Sarkar. Lawyers alleged that police used excessive force, beat up some lawyers, and seized phones. The court made it clear that nobody can be detained except through proper legal procedures, and ordered authorities to submit details of all detained individuals by Tuesday.

Context

Supreme Court hearings on public protests typically focus on balancing citizens' rights to assemble and move freely with the state's duty to maintain public order and safety. When authorities restrict transport or communication services during unrest, courts often examine whether those measures strictly follow existing legal guidelines.