A contempt petition has been filed in the Supreme Court over the continued shutdown of transit corridors in Delhi during protests seeking the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, with the petitioner alleging that authorities violated the court’s October 9 directions to avoid hardship to ordinary commuters.
Advocate Shailendra Mani Tripathi filed the petition against Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) Chairperson D. Thara. The petition alleges wilful non-compliance with the Supreme Court’s directions on regulating movement during the protests.
The plea follows the DMRC’s announcement that entry and exit gates at 57 stations would remain closed from 9 p.m. on October 9 until further notice, citing security reasons. The petition also refers to train cancellations and what it describes as a blanket shutdown across transit corridors to and within the national capital.
According to the petition, the Supreme Court had made clear that restrictions should be proportionate and regulated rather than imposed as an outright prohibition. It said the court had recorded an assurance from the Solicitor General of India that there would be no complete ban on the movement of Metro trains or essential railway transit.
The petitioner alleged that the continued restrictions had severely disrupted public life across the National Capital Territory and stranded essential travellers. It also claimed that authorities had failed to issue or publicise clear traffic and transit advisories, despite the court’s direction that any regulatory framework and related advisory be widely published through print and digital media.
The October 9 Supreme Court order had directed the authorities to avoid causing hardship or suffering to ordinary commuters through a blanket ban. It allowed restrictions to be imposed in a suitable and regulated manner ahead of and during the October 10 protests. The court also sought compliance reports from the authorities within four days.
The case places the operation of Delhi’s mass-transit network within the scope of the court’s ongoing scrutiny of protest-related restrictions. The petition asks the Supreme Court to initiate contempt proceedings against the officials and the DMRC chairperson for allegedly disregarding its directions. Further proceedings will depend on the court’s consideration of the plea and the compliance reports sought from the authorities.
