Delhi Authorities Revisit Alternative Protest Site to Jantar Mantar After SC Plea
The Supreme Court has entertained a fresh plea seeking an alternative site to Jantar Mantar for protests and demonstrations in New Delhi, prompting the Delhi government and police to prepare their formal response on the matter. Terming the petition as an important issue last week, the apex court expressed its willingness to consider finding a new location and sought the official stand of both the Delhi government and the police.
The court's query forces city authorities to revisit a tricky subject that was first addressed over 15 years ago. During previous legal proceedings, the government had given an undertaking before the Delhi High Court that it was trying to locate another suitable site for public demonstrations. At the time, the government argued before the High Court that finding a new location required consensus, and it sought additional time to resolve the matter. Based on the government's statement, the High Court subsequently disposed of a public interest litigation filed by area residents.
The original 2011 petition was brought by the Dhawandeep Residents Welfare Association, an organization representing residents of a building situated on Jantar Mantar Road. In the plea, the association raised serious grievances regarding local civic and law enforcement administration. The residents stated that the police and the New Delhi Municipal Council had miserably failed to ensure that residents were not obstructed or prevented from using the road.
The association emphasized in its filing that residents were frequently denied proper ingress and egress to and from their own building due to ongoing gatherings. The plea highlighted that processions, demonstrations, and dharnas were being conducted at Jantar Mantar almost throughout the year, resulting in persistent disruptions and constant sloganeering along Jantar Mantar Road.
Now, authorities are preparing their submissions to answer the Supreme Court's latest query, bringing the long-standing debate over protest sites at Jantar Mantar back into focus.
