Delhi protests: Supreme Court to hold special Sunday sitting to hear pleas against detention of opposition leaders

Trinamool Congress MP and Senior Advocate Menaka Guruswamy has approached the Supreme Court against Delhi Police action against various opposition party leaders including former Chief Ministers who were protesting on Saturday at Delhi against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

A bench of Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana will hold a special sitting on Sunday, October 11, to hear the matter.

Guruswamy has challenged preventive detention of opposition leaders, including four former Chief Ministers, during today's protests by at Jantar Mantar by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) activists and various other political parties.

According to Guruswamy, such preventive detentions cannot be used to suppress the fundamental right to peaceful protest, particularly against leaders who have previously governed States.

She has questioned the police action of picking up protesters from the streets and opposition leaders from their residences.

The case will be heard along with a separate contempt of court petition alleging that Delhi Metro stations remained closed today despite the Court's October 9 order against a complete shutdown of public transport ahead of the protests.

The contempt of court petition has been filed by advocate Shailendra Mani Tripathi against Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) Chairperson D Thara, alleging non-compliance with Supreme Court orders.