At a special Sunday sitting on October 11, the Supreme Court directed that Delhi’s Metro and rail services be restored, internet access kept uninterrupted and barricades reviewed, and sought responses on alleged excessive force and illegal detentions.
The directions read as a checklist of what the court thought had gone wrong: transport restrictions, internet curbs, barricades, detentions of peaceful gatherers, impeded lawyers and journalists, and a prohibitory-order notice near the court itself.
The government’s account came through the Solicitor General, who said that all Metro stations were open, internet had been restored and 45 of 303 stations had entry or exit restrictions on October 10.
Lawyers gave a different picture. Senior advocate Sanjay Hegde told the court that lawyers detained in Maidan Garhi were held for hours and allegedly beaten, and Shoeb Alam gave a detention figure of 6,000 to 7,000, which are submissions made in court.
The reports did not include the full order, and the habeas corpus petitions will be heard on October 13.
It said that lawyers, journalists and others must not be impeded in their professional duties.
It said that peaceful assemblies must be allowed in accordance with law, especially outside areas under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita.
It directed that any notice board announcing Section 163 restrictions near the Supreme Court be removed, if still there, so that access to the Supreme Court and other courts is not blocked.
It sought responses to allegations of excessive police force, illegal detention and the involvement of an unbadged police officer.
It reminded protesters to remain peaceful and not to instigate others.
The court said that it is duty-bound under Article 32 to protect and enforce fundamental rights.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court that all Metro stations were open and internet had been restored, according to ETV Bharat.
Supreme Court of India (file image), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0