The Delhi High Court on Friday declined to urgently list a plea by the Indian Youth Congress challenging the Delhi Police’s refusal to permit a proposed protest at Jantar Mantar, and directed that the matter be heard on Monday, October 12.
The petition was mentioned before a Bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Nitin Sambre by senior advocate Sanjoy Ghose. Mr. Ghose told the court that he had mentioned the matter on Thursday and had been permitted to mention it again on Friday if the petition was not listed. “What is the urgency? We will hear it on Monday,” Justice Sambre said.
The Indian Youth Congress had approached the High Court after the Delhi Police rejected its application on October 1. The organisation had submitted the application on September 25, seeking permission to hold a demonstration involving around 100-150 people between October 1 and October 25 at Jantar Mantar.
The proposed protest is against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The IYC is demanding his resignation over alleged irregularities in the special intensive revision of electoral rolls. The organisation has said it would comply with lawful conditions concerning security, traffic management, discipline and public order.
The petition challenges the police communication rejecting permission for the demonstration and asks the court to quash the decision. It also seeks a direction to the authorities to reconsider the request in accordance with the law.
The plea describes the proposed demonstration as a peaceful exercise of the rights to freedom of speech and expression and to assemble peacefully without arms. It argues that the police power to regulate a fundamental right cannot become an unfettered power to prohibit its exercise. According to the petition, restrictions must be reasonable, proportionate and based on an individual assessment rather than a mechanical refusal.
The case places the administration of Jantar Mantar within a recurring governance question: how authorities should balance peaceful political assembly with security, traffic management and public order. The court’s eventual consideration will determine whether the police decision meets the legal standards raised in the petition.
Security was stepped up at Jantar Mantar on Friday, with barricades installed ahead of the proposed protest. The High Court is scheduled to hear the plea on Monday.
