New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Centre and other parties to respond to a plea by traders’ organisations seeking to stop protests against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar during the festive season. The apex court said no protest site can be occupied for “indefinite” periods and specific time slots must be set.
This comes after several protests at Jantar Mantar in central Delhi last month and a recent protest at the Ramlila Maidan by opposition parties and other groups.
Supreme Court says protest sites cannot be occupied indefinitely
A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant, Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana was hearing a batch of pleas including one by the Kirana Committee Delhi, saying that they had incurred losses due to the Ramlila Maidan protest.
“You cannot occupy any site for indefinite period. Where will farmers, journalist go? Everyone has right to protest but we have to give a specific time for a specific period,” Chief Justice Surya Kant said.
The bench is also hearing pleas related to mass arrests, police action, Metro station closures and internet shutdowns.
The apex court asked the trader organisations to add the political parties organising the anti-CEC protests as parties to their plea. It added that unless all the groups are made parties to the case it cannot be decided.
Traders say shops were closed in central Delhi
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi representing traders said nearly 50 lakh people live around the protest site. He added that shops were closed and Connaught Place was empty on Tuesday.
The plea by traders says that there was an impact on trade due to the protests.
The same bench on October 15 asked the Election Commission and others to respond to a plea by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and 12 Opposition leaders alleging there was widespread erasure of names in the voter list and irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
Traders say INDIA Bloc rally cost Rs 12,000 crore
The INDIA bloc rally on November 1 at the Ramlila Maidan caused disruption to traffic and impacted trade in central Delhi during the festive season.
Around 2.5 lakh out of the 3 lakh shops in 25 major wholesale and retail markets were either closed or severely impacted, according to the Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI).
Chandni Chowk, Sadar Bazar, Connaught Place, Karol Bagh and Kashmere Gate were amongst the worst affected markets, it added.
CTI Chairman Brijesh Goyal and other trade organisations estimate the losses to be anywhere between Rs 10,000-12,000 crore.
Opposition leaders were asked by traders to delay the rally
The business community was also annoyed at the rally.
The CTI had written four letters to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on October 24, 27, 28 and November 1 asking him to delay the rally or move it to another location so it did not impact festive trade, traders’ organisations said.
Traders’ associations had also written to Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee for them to intervene and delay the November 1 rally.
But the rally proceeded.