Supreme Court warns against illegal detentions at Delhi CJP protest

The Supreme Court heard urgent pleas over metro curbs and alleged illegal detentions during the Delhi protest. It told authorities to keep transport and internet services functional and not obstruct peaceful assembly.Newdelhi,Oct 11, 2026 12:56 ISTThe Supreme Court on Sunday said people gathering peacefully should not be illegally detained, while hearing allegations that its earlier directions on public transport and access in Delhi were not followed during the CJP protest. In a special sitting, the court issued notice to the Centre on a plea seeking contempt proceedings over the alleged violation of its order that there should be no "complete prohibition" on metro and train services in the national capital.A bench of Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to ensure that the Delhi Metro runs on its normal schedule and that internet services are not disrupted, subject to law and order conditions. The court also said lawyers, journalists and others should not be obstructed in carrying out their professional duties."In view of the urgent applications alleging violation of our earlier order dt. October 9, 2026, and also alleging illegal detention of large number of individuals at Delhi on October 10, 2026 this court had assembled for an urgent hearing. Senior counsels submitted there was a flagrant violation of the directions -- metro railway was not functioning, New Delhi and Nizamuddin railway stations remained closed, no traffic advisories were issued and a large number of persons were subjected to undue harassment and illegal detention even beyond the area which was covered by the prohibitory order under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023," the bench said.During the hearing, Mehta told the court that entry and exit were restricted at only 45 of the 303 stations in the metro network on October 10. As the hearing began, the top court said it would hear all lawyers in the matter linked to the plea seeking contempt action against the authorities for the alleged blatant violation of its directions. The court was also hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy over the detention of political leaders. The contempt plea, filed by advocate Shailendra Mani Tripathi, has named Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation chairperson D Thara as respondents.The petition referred to the Supreme Court's October 9 order, passed on a separate plea against the closure of 57 metro stations and the cancellation of trains to Delhi in view of the protest. The protest call was given by the CJP and some student organisations against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the functioning of the Election Commission. The government had blocked a planned mass mobilisation at Jantar Mantar on Saturday after a heavy security clampdown and the detention of over 7,000 protesters, including CJP leader Abhijit Dipke, several opposition leaders and YouTuber Dhruv Rathee. The court's hearing on Sunday centred on claims that these steps had gone beyond its earlier directions on maintaining access and movement during the protest.- Ends