New Delhi, 03 August (H.S.):

The Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to the Central Government while hearing a petition concerning protests held at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to seek the Centre’s response on the matter and apprise the court of its stand.

During the hearing, the court asked the Centre to clarify whether an alternative or more suitable location could be designated for holding protests. The petition has been filed by Satish Chand Kaushik, who has argued that Jantar Mantar is not a practical venue for large-scale demonstrations and sit-in protests, and that an alternative site should be identified.

The petition stated that Jantar Mantar lacks basic facilities and that frequent protests at the location cause inconvenience to local residents. It highlighted the absence of essential amenities such as drinking water, toilets, sewage facilities, and food arrangements at the protest site.

The plea further stated that demonstrations at Jantar Mantar often lead to disruption of traffic movement in the area. It claimed that local residents, commuters, and even emergency services are adversely affected due to such protests.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar