New Delhi, 08 October (H.S.): The Delhi High Court has agreed to hear a petition filed by the Youth Congress challenging the Delhi Police’s decision to deny permission for a protest at Jantar Mantar against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The court ordered that the matter be taken up tomorrow, October 9, after advocate Sanjay Ghosh, appearing for the petitioner and Youth Congress national president Uday Bhanu Chib, sought an urgent hearing today.

Chib has challenged the Delhi Police order dated October 1, by which his application seeking permission for the protest was rejected. The petition states that the Youth Congress had, on September 25, sought permission to hold a peaceful demonstration involving approximately 100 to 150 people.

According to the petition, the Youth Congress had assured the Delhi Police in its application that it would comply with all legal requirements concerning security, traffic management, discipline and the maintenance of public order. The petition states that despite repeated attempts to contact the police, the organisation was informed only on October 1 that permission had been denied. October 1 was also the first proposed date for the demonstration.

The petition argues that the police’s power to regulate assemblies does not mean that authorities can impose a blanket prohibition without undertaking an objective, case-specific and reasonable assessment of the circumstances.

It further contends that the Delhi Police’s decision violates the fundamental rights to freedom of speech and expression and to assemble peacefully, guaranteed under Articles 19(1)(a) and 19(1)(b) of the Constitution of India.

The petition also argues that applying guidelines governing protests and public assemblies mechanically and without due consideration is arbitrary.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar