Newdelhi,Oct 11, 2026 12:56 ISTThe Supreme Court on Sunday stated that individuals gathering peacefully must not be subjected to illegal detentions, addressing complaints that its previous directives regarding public transport and access in Delhi were disregarded during the CJP protest. During a special session, the bench issued a notice to the Centre concerning a petition for contempt proceedings over the alleged breach of its order prohibiting any complete shutdown of metro and train networks in the capital.
A bench comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana directed Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to guarantee that the Delhi Metro operates on its standard timetable and that internet connections remain active, barring specific law and order exigencies. Additionally, the court emphasized that professionals such as lawyers and journalists must not face obstruction while performing their duties.
The bench noted that it assembled for an urgent session due to pressing applications pointing to violations of the October 9, 2026 order, alongside reports of mass illegal detentions in Delhi on October 10. Senior counsel informed the court about blatant non-compliance, citing non-functional metro services, closed railway stations at New Delhi and Nizamuddin, the absence of proper traffic advisories, and the harassment and unlawful detention of numerous individuals outside the zones covered by prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.
Replying to these claims during the proceedings, Mehta stated that entry and exit points were limited at only 45 out of the 303 stations across the metro grid on October 10. At the outset, the apex court indicated it would grant a hearing to all counsels involved in the contempt action plea against authorities for allegedly flouting its instructions.
The court additionally addressed a habeas corpus petition presented by senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy concerning the detention of political figures. The contempt application, brought forward by advocate Shailendra Mani Tripathi, lists Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar, and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation chairperson D Thara as respondents.
This legal action follows the Supreme Court's October 9 ruling, which addressed the shuttering of 57 metro stations and the cancellation of trains heading to Delhi ahead of the demonstration. The protest had been organized by the CJP and various student groups targeting Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over purported administrative flaws within the Election Commission. Following a stringent security crackdown and the detention of over 7,000 demonstrators—including CJP figurehead Abhijit Dipke, opposition politicians, and YouTuber Dhruv Rathee—authorities blocked the planned assembly at Jantar Mantar on Saturday, prompting Sunday's judicial scrutiny over whether state actions exceeded permissible limits.