The Delhi High Court on Tuesday sought the Centre’s stand on petitions by traders, vendors and lawyers seeking regulation of protests in the national capital according to the governing standard operating procedures.
A bench of Acting Chief Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre and Justice Sanjay Sharma asked the counsel appearing for the central government and other authorities to seek instructions before listing the matter for hearing on Friday.
The bench also asked the petitioners to bring on record a copy of the protest-related petitions filed in the Supreme Court.
“We don’t want to cover an area already sub judice in the Supreme Court,” the bench told the petitioners.
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Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma informed that the petitions in the top court have been adjourned to October 15.
Central Delhi has been witnessing massive protests by various opposition parties, student groups and civil society members since June-July this year over various issues related to the functioning of the Election Commission.
The senior lawyers appearing for the petitioners argued that the Supreme Court has passed several directions on regulating protests, which ought to be complied with.
Senior counsel appearing for the traders, Sanjay Poddar, asserted that being the festive season, October to February is the “best time for business”, which was adversely impacted due to the recent protests.
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Senior counsel Sacchin Puri, appearing for petitioner Rishabh Saxena, a lawyer, emphasised that hundreds and hundreds of people carried out a protest in Central Delhi in the recent past, bringing everything to a halt.
The cases were taken for hearing after the bench earlier today allowed Puri’s request for an urgent hearing.
“Traders have lost up to Rs 2,000 crore in recent times because of barricading and how protests are happening… People can’t approach areas like Connaught Place. It is completely unapproachable,” Puri submitted while mentioning the matter.
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