NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court today said no one can occupy a site indefinitely to hold a protest and even the designated sites for such activity should have a definite time period. The observations came during a hearing on the massive protest in central Delhi’s Jantar Mantar last month and the recent one at Ramlila Maidan organised by the Opposition parties and others against the Election Commission of India.
The tag of a designated protest site was removed from Jantar Mantar by the government and three alternative sites including Ramlila Maidan were announced.
The government’s top lawyer Tushar Mehta told the Supreme Court today that whoever gives the call for a protest should take responsibility for any consequence as a result of their actions.
“You cannot occupy a site for all times to come. There are other protesters also. Where will farmers or lawyers go? Everyone has a right to protest,” Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said and sought responses from the Centre and others on a petition by trader organisations seeking a halt to protests during the festival season.
Mehta informed the Supreme Court that permission for the July 20 protest was given only for one day, but the protesters occupied the place and even marched to Parliament.
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