SUPREME COURT CHALLENGES DELHI’S TRANSPORT LOCKDOWN AHEAD OF HIGH-STAKES CJP PROTEST
October 9, 2026
The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Centre to ensure that Delhi’s metro and railway services are not brought to a complete halt ahead of the October 10 protest called by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and student organisations against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana, expressed serious concern over proposed restrictions, including the closure of entry gates at 57 metro stations and the reported cancellation of trains entering the national capital. The court stressed that security arrangements must not leave ordinary citizens without access to essential public transport.
The Chief Justice observed that not everyone owns a car and that commuters travelling from Gurugram, Greater Noida and other parts of the National Capital Region depend on metro and railway services for their daily journeys. The bench urged authorities to reconsider the restrictions and adopt proportionate measures that preserve public convenience while maintaining law and order.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta assured the court that he would ask the authorities to reconsider the proposed prohibitions and permit metro trains and other railway services to operate under suitable regulation. In light of this assurance, the court made it clear that there should be no complete prohibition on metro train movement.
The bench also directed authorities to publicise their decisions concerning transport arrangements, review road barricading and provide adequate information about alternative routes to minimise inconvenience. It emphasised the need to distinguish between regulating movement and imposing a blanket prohibition.
The matter reached the Supreme Court after senior advocates Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Singhvi and Prashant Bhushan raised concerns about the sweeping restrictions planned ahead of the demonstration. Appearing for CPI(M) general secretary M. A. Baby, Sibal argued that the proposed measures threatened to disrupt the entire capital and raised concerns about citizens’ fundamental right to protest.
The bench observed that demonstrations must comply with applicable legal requirements, while also stressing that restrictions on public movement require careful consideration. The court’s intervention seeks to balance security concerns surrounding the planned protest with the rights and everyday needs of Delhi’s residents and commuters.
