No barricades unless warranted, metro to run normally: SC to govt amid CJP stir

The Supreme Court on Sunday directed authorities to review barricades across Delhi forthwith and remove them unless warranted by law-and-order or traffic considerations, while making it clear that metro and railway services must operate normally unless restrictions are necessary to maintain public order.The interim directions came during an extraordinary Sunday hearing on petitions challenging the restrictions imposed during Saturday’s protests against the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), including the closure of 45 Metro stations and illegal detentions of peaceful protesters.A two-judge bench of Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana said the free movement of people and traffic in the national capital must be permitted, subject to traffic requirements and lawful restrictions.The bench also directed that internet facilities remain undisturbed in accordance with the law and that there be no illegal detention, particularly of people participating in peaceful, unarmed assemblies outside areas where Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) is in operation. The bench also directed authorities to remove boards referring to Section 163 of the BNSS in and around the Supreme Court, if not already done, to ensure there was no apprehension about access to justice or movement to and from the Supreme Court and other courts."We have been informed that a notice under Section 163 has been imposed in and around the Supreme Court. We direct the authorities to take down the restriction so that there is no apprehension of access to justice with regard to ingress and egress to the Supreme Court or any other court," a bench of Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana said. The bench said the right to protest must be exercised within the bounds of the Police Act. "You have a right to protest, absolutely no quarrel on that but the process in which you protest has to be within the Police Act," SC said.The matter will be heard again on Tuesday.This is a developing story. It will be updated.- Ends