SC on Shaheen Bagh: Public road can’t be blocked indefinitely; lists matter for February 17

The Supreme Court on Monday issued notices to Central government, Delhi govt and Police for on the pleas seeking removal of protesters, who have been protesting the amended citizenship law from Delhi's Shaheen Bagh.

The top court today declined to immediately order the removal of the protesters, however, said that people could not be allowed to block a public road indefinitely.

During the hearing, the court said to the Center, “If you can wait for 50 days, you can wait for one more week.”

Further the SC said that it would not pass any direction on Shaheen Bagh protest without hearing the other side and listed matter for February 17.

The Supreme Court today heard the pleas seeking removal of anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protesters from Delhi's Shaheen Bagh area.

On Friday, the top 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.

A two-judge bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and also comprising Justice KM Joseph had 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.

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.

(With PTI Inputs)

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