The Delhi High Court, on Thursday, refused to stop the planned protest at Connaught Place on Thursday, 16 October, while it took on record the police’s assurance that all steps would be taken to regulate and control the activity of the protesters.
The plea was being heard by a bench of Acting Chief Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre and Justice Sanjay Sharma. The plea sought directions from the court to the police to regulate the protest as per the existing law laid down by the Supreme Court.
The counsel for the petitioner said that traders who whose businesses are located in and around Connaught place would be “on the streets” if they lost another weekend to closures due to protest in central Delhi during the festive season.
During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Chetan Sharma told the court that authorities have taken steps to control the CJP’s activities and said that the apprehensions of the petitioner would be taken care of.
The court issued its order taking this assurance on record.
“The petitioner apprehends that the conduct of respondent no. 6 (CJP) is likely to disrupt business activity in Connaught Place… When confronted, the ASG assures that the apprehension of the petitioner shall be taken care of as the respondents have already taken steps in the matter to control and regulate the activity of respondent no. 6 and if so required, all possible steps in accordance with law shall be taken. The assurance is taken on record,” the order said, while listing it for further hearing on November 3.
Even as the senior counsel for the petitioner urged the court to pass a “specific” direction restraining the CJP, the bench said, “Don’t insist. We have passed the order.”
Senior advocate Sachhin Puri, who appeared for a licensed street vendor who sells garmets at Delhi’s Palika Baar, said that nnaught Place was not a designated protest site, and any agitation in the central park there would affect their business.
The court observed that the authorities have already denotified Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site, and asked why the petitioner apprehended that the police would not take necessary action in relation to the proposed protest.
The ASG responded that the police would “perform its duty”.
“On or about 20.07.2026, a large agitation spilled beyond the designated area. The roads around Jantar Mantar and Parliament Street were barricaded and came to a standstill. Customers stopped coming to Connaught Place and Palika Bazar, and the petitioner could not vend, which caused loss on a daily basis,” the plea stated.
“In the heart of Connaught Place Central Park, a protest is called. It seems we are being targeted. This is not a site (for protest). They have already started shutting down. This is the weekend. This protest has to be stopped,” the petitioner’s senior counsel had said while mentioning the matter in the morning.
With wire inputs
