Internet services in central Delhi will remain suspended at and around a radiums of 4 km from Janpath-Kartvya Path Cross from 10 pm on Friday, 9 October to 10 pm on Saturday, 10th October, Delhi Police’s Deputy Commissioner Manishi Chandra said in a letter to the nodal officials of telecom companies Airtel, Vodafone-Idea, Jio, and MTNL.
The letter mentions that the request was sent to the Union Home Secretary, who has considered the same.
This move comes ahead of the planned protest by the Cockroach Janta Party and other student organisations at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on Saturday to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner and the rollback of the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
A number of steps have been taken by the government ahead of the protest, including closing of , stopping a number of long-distance training that were going to Delhi.
Thousands of police and paramilitary forces were being sent into the national capital for the protest, Reuters reported citing a government document.
The on Friday objected to restrictions imposed in Delhi ahead of the October 10 protests that could disrupt the normal lives of citizens, particularly those who have no intention of joining the ongoing demonstrations.
A bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana also clarified that the present proceedings primarily concern restrictions affecting the movement of ordinary citizens and public transport and not the broader right to protest.
“We have serious concerns about this. Our concern is not about the protesters, or about the authorities, but about hundreds and thousands of commuters in Delhi for their livelihood, children and senior citizens. We are talking about common citizenry. They should not be disturbed. Everybody doesn’t have a car or facilities,” the CJI said.
Alcohol shops also remained closed on Friday in Delhi and will continue to remain so on on Saturday.
A traders’ organisation in Delhi’s Connaught Place has asked their members to keep their shops closed on Saturday in order to avoid any untoward incident.
With agency inputs
