New Delhi, 13 October (H.S.): The Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked the Central Government to state its position on petitions filed by traders, vendors and lawyers seeking regulation of protests in the national capital in accordance with established standard operating procedures (SOPs).

A Bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Nitin Vasudev Sambré directed lawyers appearing for the Centre and other authorities to obtain instructions before the matter is listed for hearing on October 16.

The court also directed the petitioners to file a copy of the petitions concerning the issue that have been submitted before the Supreme Court.

The petitions have been filed against the backdrop of large-scale demonstrations in central Delhi since June–July this year. Various opposition parties, student groups and civil society members have staged protests over issues related to the functioning of the Election Commission.

Senior advocates appearing for the petitioners argued that the Supreme Court had issued several directions for regulating protests and that these instructions should be implemented.

Senior advocate Sanjay Poddar, representing the traders, submitted that the period from October to February was the most important business season because of the festive period. However, he argued that recent demonstrations had adversely affected commercial activities.

Advocate Sachin Puri, appearing for petitioner and lawyer Rishabh Saxena, submitted that recent protests in central Delhi had drawn hundreds of thousands of people, bringing normal activities across the area to a standstill.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar