Expressing deep concern over public inconvenience, the Supreme Court of India on Friday directed the Union Government to ensure that public transportation in the national capital is not completely halted ahead of the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) scheduled October 10 protest.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V Mohana observed that notifications ordering the complete closure of 57 Delhi Metro stations and the cancellation of dozens of incoming long-distance trains were “overreaching” and violated the principle of proportionality.
”You Can’t Use a Sledgehammer to Kill a Fly”
The top court’s intervention followed an urgent petition filed by CPI(M) General Secretary MA Baby, argued by Senior Advocates Kapil Sibal, Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi, and Gopal Sankaranarayanan, challenging the blanket transit curbs imposed across New Delhi.
”Our concern is not with respect to any protesters or any individual. Our concern is about the hundreds and thousands of commuters who come from Gurugram, Greater Noida, East Delhi, and South Delhi to Delhi for their livelihood,” CJI Surya Kant remarked to Solicitor General Tushar Mehta. “Law enforcement authorities are certainly entitled to take regulatory measures… But that does not mean you can bring everything to a halt and leave people without any transport facility.”
Echoing the bench’s stance, Justice Bagchi noted that while train frequencies could be adjusted or crowd movement regulated, complete anticipatory shutdowns of essential public infrastructure were extreme.
Government Agrees to Reassess Notifications
Responding to the court’s observations, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta assured the bench that he would immediately consult with central authorities to reassess the blanket prohibitions and transition toward regulated operations.
Following the assurance, the bench issued a formal order directing authorities to:
- Allow Regulated Operations: Permit metro and train services in a regulated, proportionate manner rather than enforcing total closures.
- Ensure Wide Publicity: Issue widely publicized travel advisories to ensure commuters face minimal disruption.
- Review Road Blockades: Re-evaluate surrounding road closures and security checkpoints to maintain public mobility across NCR corridors.
The order brings major relief to daily commuters, workers, and students traveling across Delhi-NCR ahead of Saturday’s political demonstrations.
