The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has vowed to continue its protests over alleged electoral roll irregularities until Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar resigns, announcing another demonstration at Jantar Mantar at 10 am on Sunday despite a major security clampdown and mass detentions across the national capital a day earlier.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court is currently hearing pleas seeking contempt proceedings against authorities over its security crackdown and the alleged violation of the court's direction against a complete suspension of metro and train services in Delhi due to the CJP protest.
CJP leaders Abhijeet Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das were released on Sunday on condition that they would not "breach peace" for a year after they were placed under preventive arrest.
YouTuber Dhruv Rathee was released late on Saturday night after being detained in Gurugram, Haryana, officials say.
Over 7,000 protesters were detained on Saturday; police likely to register an FIR over the alleged assault on personnel, officials say.
Force deploymet and stringent traffic restrictions remained in force across several parts of Delhi on Sunday for a second day amid CJP's vow to continue the protests.
Appearing before the bench, senior advocate Shadan Farasat said he and several lawyers had been brutalised on Saturday. However, he clarified that they were not seeking special rights for lawyers, but were speaking as part of the wider citizenry.
Farasat said the situation in the capital had been "remarkably suppressive", alleging that people were not even allowed to stand on the streets and were being picked up and thrown around. He said he was thrown into a moving bus after being detained.
Stressing that the issue concerned citizens' right to protest rather than the treatment of individuals or lawyers, Farasat said, "with all responsibility submitted yesterday we were one step away from a police state".
He urged the court to restore citizens' right to protest peacefully in the capital, saying it had been destroyed on Saturday.
The top court is also hearing a habeas petition filed by senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy against the detention of political leaders.
Senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy, appearing for a petitioner, told the Supreme Court that young people had taken to lawful protests, a right recognised by the Constitution, to peacefully assemble and demonstrate because they felt the electoral system was unfair.
Referring to the interim relief sought and the contempt plea, she cited Article 358 of the Constitution, which deals with the suspension of certain rights during a national emergency, and asked whether the state was effectively imposing an undeclared Emergency.
CPI(M) MP John Brittas on Sunday accused the authorities of using "brute force" against peaceful protesters during the anti-CEC demonstration on October 10, saying the detentions would only strengthen the agitation.
Brittas, along with Left leaders, including Pinarayi Vijayan, who was among four former CMs detained, by Delhi Police at different points on Saturday as they attempted to reach Jantar Mantar.
"We were detained; I was detained, even Kerala's former Chief Minister and many other leaders were detained," he said, adding that the protest would continue peacefully and grow despite the crackdown.
Brittas also accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of effectively imposing a shutdown in Delhi through the security restrictions. Questioning the detention of CJP leaders Abhijit Dipke and others aboard a flight, he asked whether they were "hijackers" or "criminals", arguing that they had come to participate in a peaceful protest.
A two-judge special bench of the Supreme Court began hearing a batch of pleas on Sunday over the crackdown on protesters during the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) demonstration in Delhi on October 10, TNIE's Suchitra Mohanty reports from the top court.
The bench, comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, began hearing pleas challenging the detention of protesters by Delhi Police and paramilitary forces, as well as a contempt petition alleging wilful disobedience of the court's directions.
During the hearing, the Supreme Court said it would hear all lawyers seeking to mention their pleas. "Two matters are before us. There are lawyers who wish to make an unlisted mention of pleas filed. What we purpose to do is to go from right to left (in the Bar) and give an opportunity to hear every party," the court said.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for one of the petitioners, raised concerns over the detentions and the imposition of Section 163.
Sibal argued that people were being picked up from trains and raised the issue of internet suspension, which he said was covered by the Anuradha Bhasin case.
Meanwhile, senior advocate, Gopal Sankaranarayanan, said unarmed children participating in the protest had been beaten, describing the action as illegal.
The hearing is under way. The court is expected to consider passing an interim order at the end of the proceedings.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday condemned the alleged entry of Delhi Police personnel into Gurdwara Bangla Sahib in the national capital on Saturday, accusing them of having a "Taliban-like attitude" and violating the sanctity of the shrine.
A controversy had erupted over Delhi police personnel allegedly entering the gurdwara premises in Delhi on Saturday as some protesters, facing police action during demonstrations against the Chief Election Commissioner, sought refuge there.
The Executive Magistrate's court has imposed a condition barring the CJP leaders from breaching the peace for one year, Ratna Singh, the party’s head of legal affairs, said.
CJP announces 2pm press conference soon after CJP leaders Abhijeet Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das were released from detention.
CJP leaders Abhijeet Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das have been released by the Executive Magistrate's court after they were placed on preventive arrest, CJP legal affairs head Ratna Singh said on Sunday.
The trio were placed under preventive arrest after Delhi Police detained them at the airport on Saturday ahead of the party's planned protest at Jantar Mantar against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Stringent traffic restrictions remained in force across several parts of Delhi on Sunday for a second day as the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) renewed its call for protests demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.
According to a Delhi Traffic Police advisory, diversions were enforced from 6 am, with traffic movement to be affected around Jantar Mantar, Connaught Place, Mandi House, Patel Chowk and several other key intersections in Lutyens' Delhi.
The restrictions come amid a security clampdown following announcement by CJP and prominent student organisations, including the Students' Federation of India (SFI) that protests would continue until their demands were met.
The affected stretches include the Ashoka Road-Jantar Mantar Road roundabout, Tolstoy Marg-Janpath crossing, Jai Singh Road-Sansad Marg crossing, Rail Bhawan roundabout, Patel Chowk, Gol Dak Khana and several intersections around Connaught Place.
Traffic movement is also likely to be affected at Mandi House, the Minto Road-Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg junction, the Lodhi Road flyover, Neela Gumbad roundabout, the Samrat Hotel roundabout, the Sardar Patel Marg-Panchsheel Marg crossing and the underpasses beneath the Bhikaji Cama Place and Moti Bagh flyovers.
Delhi Police continued to beef up security across the national capital on Sunday, a day after a large-scale clampdown and mass detentions, as the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) vowed to continue its protest at Jantar Mantar.
Visuals from Connaught Place showed a heavy security deployment.
YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, who was detained by Delhi Police ahead of the Cockroach Janta Party's (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar, was released late on Saturday night, an official said on Sunday.
"He can be detained again, or further legal action might be taken if he tries to go to Jantar Mantar despite prohibitory orders," a police source said.
Rathee was detained from his residence in Gurugram's Sector 56 on Saturday as police stepped up security across the national capital to prevent protesters from reaching Jantar Mantar for a demonstration demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities related to the SIR.
Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Abhijeet Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das have been placed under preventive arrest and will be produced before the Executive Magistrate at Delhi Cantt Police Station on Sunday, a senior police officer said.
They were placed under preventive arrest after being detained by Delhi Police when their flight landed in the national capital ahead of the planned protest at Jantar Mantar on Saturday, police said.
Anti-CEC Protest Day 2
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has vowed to continue its protests over alleged electoral roll irregularities until Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar resigns, announcing another demonstration at Jantar Mantar at 10 am on Sunday despite a major security clampdown and mass detentions across the national capital a day earlier.
Following the detention of its top leaders on Saturday, CJP member Ajinkya Shinde has been entrusted with leading the next phase of the agitation.
Top developments
CJP leaders Abhijeet Dipke, Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das placed under preventive arrest after being detained on Saturday.
YouTuber Dhruv Rathee released late on Saturday night after being detained in Gurugram, Haryana, officials say.
Over 7,000 protesters detained during anti-CEC protest; police likely to register an FIR over the alleged assault on personnel, officials say.
SC to hear a plea on Sunday seeking contempt proceedings against authorities over alleged violation of its direction against a complete suspension of metro and train services in Delhi due to the CJP protest