Supreme Court to Hear Challenge Against Detention of Opposition Leaders in Delhi

New Delhi, October 10 (Daily Kiran) : The issue of detaining opposition leaders during a protest in New Delhi has escalated to the Supreme Court. This follows a demonstration against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Menaka Guruswamy, a lawyer and Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha member, has filed a petition challenging the police’s actions. A special bench of the Supreme Court is set to hear the case on Sunday.

The petition argues that peaceful protests are a fundamental right and cannot be suppressed through precautionary detentions, especially against leaders who have previously served as chief ministers in various states. Guruswamy criticized the Delhi police’s actions, stating that protesters were taken from the streets while opposition leaders were detained at their residences. She described this as an infringement on democratic rights.

During the protests in the national capital on Saturday, several prominent opposition figures were detained, including former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Aam Aadmi Party national convenor and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, and former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Mamata Banerjee, along with several TMC MPs, was taken into custody from the South Avenue area. After being stopped by police, she staged a sit-in at a bus stop. Kejriwal was detained while attempting to leave his home to join the protest. He accused the authorities of creating an atmosphere of fear and pressure by restricting public movement in the capital.

Additionally, Pinarayi Vijayan, CPM MP John Brittas, and party general secretary M.A. Baby were also detained and sent to a temporary detention center at Chhatrasal Stadium.

The protest was organized to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, with demonstrators alleging irregularities in the Special Intensive Review (SIR) process of the voter list. Various opposition parties and leaders had planned the demonstration in response to these issues.

All eyes are now on the Supreme Court’s special bench as it considers whether the precautionary detention of opposition leaders and protesters violates constitutional rights.