Can't occupy public place indefinitely: Supreme Court slaps Shaheen Bagh protesters

-Certain places should be fixed for agitation

New delhi date. Wednesday 7 October 2020

The Supreme Court has taken a stern stance on the picketing and demonstrations by minority women in Shahinbagh, New Delhi, in January-February this year to oppose new citizenship laws and the Citizenship Register, saying no public place can be occupied indefinitely.

Traffic from Delhi to Noida was delayed for a long time due to the obstruction of Shaheen Bagh and school children in particular were facing more problems. A petition was filed in the Supreme Court that the Shahinbagh protesters should be shifted from here. The demonstrators argued that citizens have a fundamental right to demonstrate and picket.

The Supreme Court made this observation in response to that argument. The court said in no uncertain terms that you cannot hold any public place in your possession indefinitely. Specific locations for such agitations and pickets should be identified. By occupying the public road you can no longer obstruct vehicular traffic.

The bench comprising Justice Sanjay Kisan Kaul said that along with the right to protest, it should also be made clear that the movement of people could not be obstructed for long. The equilibrium of the right to show should be linked to the right to mobility. In February this year, a petition was filed in the Supreme Court alleging that the demonstrations were obstructing the movement of people and vehicles.

The court also suggested that some venues for such demonstrations should be decided in advance. Public roads or parks cannot be made a sight to behold