The Delhi High Court will hear a plea on October 16 seeking permission for peaceful protests at Jantar Mantar. Petitioner Anshikha Tripathi wants authorities to allow agitations and protect free speech. The court also posted a separate plea by Vinod Jakhar for a probe into assaults on protesters on October 10.
Jakhar's petition claimed that there were videos of "anti-social elements" in civilian clothes manhandling and beating peaceful protesters.
NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday agreed to hear a plea seeking permission for peaceful protests at Jantar Mantar and declaring the right to peaceful agitation as part of free speech.
The court also posted for November a public interest litigation filed by National Students' Union of India (NSUI) President Vinod Jakhar, seeking a "fair, independent and time-bound probe into a series of assaults committed in broad daylight on October 10 on ordinary protesters".
A bench of Acting Chief Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre and Justice Sanjay Sharma said it would hear on October 16 the PIL filed by Anshikha Tripathi, seeking directions to authorities to permit protests.
The petitioner sought protection of the right to peaceful protests, also claiming there was a "grave concern" over the number of people who were placed under house arrest.
It further sought an SIT probe into the alleged atrocities committed against peaceful protesters and an examination of house arrests.
The petition has challenged the issuance of prohibitory orders, the internet shutdown in central Delhi, as well as the continued, unnecessary and disproportionate closure of metro stations and railway restrictions.
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The petition claimed that the "State's duty to maintain public order must be discharged consistently with the democratic value of peaceful dissent and the constitutional prohibition against arbitrary restrictions upon fundamental rights".
Tripathi's petition has sought a direction to the State to permit peaceful protesters to carry out protests in and around Jantar Mantar and to earmark different places for agitations.
During the hearing, ASG Sharma objected to the maintainability of the petition filed by the NSUI, asserting that it had been filed in violation of the PIL rules. The court permitted the Centre to file its preliminary objections within three weeks.
Jakhar's petition claimed that there were videos of "anti-social elements" in civilian clothes manhandling and beating peaceful protesters.
"If such incidents are not examined, there will be a chilling effect on the exercise of fundamental freedoms of speech and expression, the right to assemble peaceably and without arms, and the right to move freely throughout the territory of India," the plea argued.
It further sought directions to the authorities concerned to preserve and hand over to the investigating team the CCTV footage recorded on October 10 between 12 noon and 6 pm by all cameras at the Inner and Outer Circles of Connaught Place, Indira Chowk, the stretch outside Khadi Gramodyog Bhavan, Sansad Marg, Janpath and Jantar Mantar Road, as well as at the Rajiv Chowk, Janpath, Patel Chowk and Barakhamba Road metro stations.