NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police on Tuesday told the Delhi High Court that it had de-notified Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site and identified three alternative locations for demonstrations in compliance with the Supreme Court’s directions on facilitating peaceful protests.
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Chetan Sharma, appearing for the Delhi Police, submitted before a single-judge Bench of Justice Amit Mahajan that the decision to identify alternative sites had been taken in accordance with the apex court order passed last week.
"The Supreme Court said appropriate sites need to be identified and designated and we have precisely done that," the Centre’s law officer submitted.
The submission came during the hearing of a plea filed by Indian Youth Congress (IYC) President Uday Bhanu Chib challenging the Delhi Police’s refusal to grant permission for a protest against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar at Jantar Mantar.
ASG Sharma argued that since Jantar Mantar had been de-notified as a designated protest site, the petition had become infructuous. The Ramlila Group, the Burari Ground, and the CBD Ground in east Delhi are the new designated protest sites.
However, senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, appearing for Chib, contended that other prayers raised in the petition remained maintainable and sought issuance of notice on them.
Opposing the request, the Delhi Police counsel argued against issuing notice.
After hearing the submissions, Justice Mahajan issued notice on three of the prayers raised in the petition. The development comes days after the Supreme Court asked the competent authorities to consider identifying and designating suitable alternative sites equipped with basic amenities and infrastructure for holding peaceful and lawful protests in the national capital. (IANS)
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