The Supreme Court has ordered authorities to prevent illegal detentions, restore normal public transport and ensure uninterrupted internet services as the Cockroach Janta Party intensifies its campaign for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Delhi remained tense for a second consecutive day on Sunday as police detained hundreds of protesters attempting to demonstrate against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, despite a Supreme Court intervention directing authorities not to illegally detain peaceful demonstrators.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which has emerged as the driving force behind the agitation, vowed to continue its campaign following Saturday's unprecedented security crackdown. Three prominent CJP leaders, including founder Abhijeet Dipke, were released from preventive detention, while student organisations and Left groups continued their demonstrations. The confrontation has now escalated into a legal battle over constitutional freedoms, police powers and restrictions on public transport.
In a special Sunday hearing, a Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana directed that no person should be detained except in accordance with the law, particularly those participating in peaceful, unarmed assemblies outside areas covered by prohibitory orders.
The court also ordered that Delhi Metro and railway services should operate normally, subject to legally permissible public-order restrictions. Internet connectivity must remain undisturbed, while unnecessary barricades and restrictions on public movement should be reviewed.
The bench issued notices on a contempt petition alleging that authorities violated its October 9 directions against blanket restrictions on transport services. It sought compliance reports and responses from the authorities by Tuesday.
Despite the judicial intervention, police continued to intercept demonstrators heading towards Jantar Mantar on Sunday. Activists associated with the Students' Federation of India (SFI), Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and other organisations were among those detained.
Saturday's crackdown had already resulted in widespread arrests and preventive detentions. Reports put the number of people detained at around 7,000, although figures vary across sources and an independently verified official total remains unavailable.
Thousands of security personnel were deployed across the capital, while Metro closures, disrupted rail services and internet restrictions affected ordinary commuters.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, along with Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, was released on Sunday following preventive detention. The movement's legal representatives said the release carried an undertaking to maintain peace for one year.
However, Dipke insisted that he had not signed any bond preventing him from participating in future protests.
A fresh controversy erupted after Delhi Police released a video concerning Dipke's response to his grandmother's death. Dipke alleged that officers refused to provide access to his phone to contact his cousin and also denied his request to speak with a lawyer. Police and Dipke have presented conflicting accounts of the incident.
The protests have drawn support from opposition parties, student organisations and civil society activists. Several prominent political leaders, including Arvind Kejriwal, Mamata Banerjee and Pinarayi Vijayan, were detained during Saturday's crackdown.
On Sunday, CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas was also detained during a demonstration. Student organisations alleged that police assaulted some detainees, although these allegations have not been independently verified.
