The is set to hold a special sitting on Sunday to hear a contempt petition filed against the shutting down of Delhi Metro stations as well as the cancellation of train services.
The petition alleges that the cancellations were in effect despite the apex court’s 9 October order directing that there should be no complete closure of transport services on Saturday, 10 October, in connection with the anti-Chief Election Commissioner protest called by the .
The matter will be heard by a bench comprising Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana.
The petition was filed by Shailendra Mani Tripathi, who was among the petitioners who had sought an independent investigation into the violence at the July Jantar Mantar student protest.
The petition has sought for contempt proceedings against Govind Mohan, IAS, who is the Union Home Secretary; Anurag Kumar, IPS, who is the Delhi Police Commissioner, and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) Chairperson D Thara, IAS.
The petitioner has said that the authorities went ahead with their allegedly arbitrary closing down of metro stations as well as unwarranted cancellations of railway services despite the apex court having issued directions to ensure public transport remains operational in a regulated matter on Saturday.
“This brutal assault on the fundamental rights of the citizens and sheer disregard to the orders of this court amounts to deliberate, intentional attempt on the part of Delhi Metro, Delhi Police and the Union government which must be dealt with an iron hand,” the plea, filed through advocate Chand Qureshi, said.
The protest call was given by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and some student organisations against Chief Election Commissioner over alleged irregularities in the functioning of the Election Commission.
While hearing the separate petition on Friday, a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and justices Bagchi and Mohana had directed the Centre to ensure that there was no “complete prohibition” of the movement of metro and trains coming to Delhi on October 10 due to the protest, saying they cannot bring everything to a halt.
Though law enforcement agencies have the right to take steps to restrict unruly movement, citizens should not be unduly harassed, the top court had said.
After the top court’s order, Delhi Metro decided to shut down the entry and exit of 45 metro stations on Saturday, which is set to remain in effect till 10 pm.
With agency inputs
