SC Adjourns Hearing On Shaheen Bagh Protest, Frowns On Delhi Police

New Delhi: The Supreme Court adjourned the hearing on the Shaheen Bagh protest posting the matter to March 23. At the same time, it stated that streets are not meant for indefinite agitations. In making this observation, the Supreme Court sent out a clear message to the protesters though the final ruling in the matter may be delivered in the next hearing.

The Supreme Court will hear the matter on Shaheen Bagh alone at the next hearing. The petition filed by a lawyer, Amit Sahni argues that public inconvenience is being caused by the protest at Shaheen Bagh on account of the blockage of the Kalindi Kunj-NOIDA road.

The apex court also pulled up the Delhi police for lack of professionalism in the matter. It observed that it would adjudicate in the matter once matters settle down and things cool down.

The Supreme Court also observed that there were larger issues on hand which the government and the administration had to attend to currently, according to media reports.

Legal experts say that in limiting the hearing to the Shaheen Bagh protest, the Supreme Court is also passing an indirect comment on the role of the Delhi police which could have acted in the matter as far as the Shaheen Bagh protest goes.

Shaheen Bagh in the national capital, has been the scene of a demonstration against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) for more than two months. The protest consists of large groups of women.

The Supreme Court had earlier appointed senior advocates, Sanjay Hegde and Sadhna Ramachandran and Wajahat Habibullah as interlocutors. After several rounds of mediation, the interlocutors submitted their report in a sealed cover to the apex court.