‘Public Road Can’t Be Blocked Indefinitely,' Supreme Court On Shaheen Bagh Protest

'Protest has been going on for a long time, they have the right to protest, but how can a public road be blocked,' observed Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul.

(Photo by Prakash SINGH / AFP) /

New Delhi: While hearing pleas seeking removal of protesters from Shaheen Bagh, the Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to Delhi Government and Delhi Police and observed that the public road cannot be blocked indefinitely by the protesters. The court, however, declined to immediately order removal of the people who are protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register for Citizens. The court has listed the case for February 17. Protest has been going on for a long time, they have the right to protest, but how can a public road be blocked, observed Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul. “You cannot block a public road indefinitely. If everybody starts protesting everywhere, then what will happen,” he asked. Earlier on Friday, the Supreme Court had said that it would take up on Monday the two public interest litigations (PIL) seeking directions to the Central government for laying down guidelines relating to restrictions for holding protests leading to obstruction to public places. Supreme Court issues notice to Centre and Delhi government over children's involvement in demonstration: The court issued notice to Centre and Delhi government on suo moto cognizance it took after a letter by a Bravery Award winner to stop children and infants' involvement in demonstration and agitations, in wake of the death of a four-month infant of a Shaheen Bagh protestor. We have the highest respect for motherhood, highest concern for children and they should not be treated badly, says CJI Bobde to lawyers who say they are appearing for mothers of children sitting in protest at Shaheen Bagh. Also Watch: SC posts Shaheen Bagh matter for 17th February A two-judge bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and also comprising Justice KM Joseph on Friday said that they will take up the matter on February 10. "We do understand that there is a problem," the apex court had said after advocate Shashank Deo Sudhi said that this court should pass appropriate directions to the concerned authorities as far as the protestors in Shaheen Bagh is concerned. The PIL, filed by Dr Nand Kishore Garg and Amit Sahni through their lawyer Shashank Deo Sudhi earlier last week, sought appropriate directions to the Centre and others for removal of protesters from Shaheen Bagh near Kalindi Kunj. Protesters have been agitating in the area against the CAA and NRC for more than a month. The road closure is causing huge inconvenience to lakhs of commuters every day and they are compelled to take different routes for last one month, the petition has said. The Delhi Police has time and again issued an advisory regarding closure or obstruction due to traffic in the area. It said that people in Shaheen Bagh are illegally protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) 2019, by blocking the common and public road connecting Delhi to Noida.