Delhi High Court to hear pleas seeking regulation of protests in capital

• The Delhi High Court agreed to hear petitions seeking regulation of protests in accordance with applicable standard operating procedures

• Counsel for lawyers and traders claimed barricading and demonstrations had restricted access to central Delhi and caused business losses of up to Rs 2,000 crore

• Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma told the court that substantially similar issues were already pending before the Supreme Court

The Delhi High Court agreed to hear petitions on Tuesday seeking regulation of protests in the capital, after lawyers and traders raised concerns about disruption to professional work, business and access to commercial areas.

Senior counsel Sacchin Puri mentioned the petitions before a bench of Acting Chief Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre and Justice Sanjay Sharma. He urged that demonstrations be conducted in accordance with the governing standard operating procedures without obstructing lawyers’ work or traders’ businesses.

Puri submitted that barricading and the manner in which protests were being held had made parts of central Delhi difficult to access, including Connaught Place.

He claimed traders had suffered losses of up to Rs 2,000 crore in recent times because of these disruptions.

Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma told the bench that substantially similar issues were already pending before the Supreme Court.

The bench agreed to list the petitions for a hearing at the end of Tuesday’s scheduled matters.

Central Delhi has witnessed large demonstrations involving opposition parties, student groups and civil society organisations over a range of issues.

With IANS inputs