SIR protest hearing: What SC said on Rahul, EC, Centre, Delhi Police, Jantar Mantar

This includes pleas against the police crackdown on protesters, a petition filed by Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi and other INDIA Bloc leaders over the Election Commission’s conduct of SIR, pleas filed against INDIA Bloc leaders for their October 12 march to the apex court, and petitions filed against the denotification of Jantar Mantar as a designated site of protest.

The hearing on pleas regarding the crackdown on protesters is still underway. Here’s what the apex court said on the other petitions.

SC pulls up Rahul: ‘Nobody can browbeat court’

• Supreme Court pulls up Rahul over INDIA Bloc march to apex court on October 12; asks him to explain his actions.

• "We are issuing notice ...Tagging with pending cases. But we would like to ask one of the petitioners about his conduct," the bench said.

• “Nobody can browbeat the judiciary,” says Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant while hearing the plea.
• Court slaps notices on Rahul, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and others on plea against their march to apex court.
• Court was hearing plea seeking uniform framework to regulate political processions and demonstrations around judicial complexes including an absolute prohibition on political protests on court premises.
• Plea was filed following October 12 march towards Supreme Court by INDIA Bloc leaders.
• Plea sought criminal proceedings against Rahul, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and TMC MP Mahua Moitra.
• Court also directs preservation of CCTV footage of Supreme Court premises.
• Responding to submissions, CJI says such attempts were “fragile” and nobody took notice of them.
• “We are not sitting in ivory towers. We know what statements they make outside and what they say in court. We know everything,” the court says.

SC issues notice to EC on Rahul’s plea on SIR

• Supreme Court seeks response from EC and others on plea filed by Rahul and other Opposition leaders alleging large-scale voter deletions and SIR irregularities.
• Taking up the plea filed by the opposition leaders, a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi issued notice to the poll panel, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.
• Referring to unconditional apology tendered by Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan in a contempt matter, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submits that tendering unconditional apology does not mean that actions cannot be defended and said it is a part of procedure.
• Bench tells Mehta that it is not taking cognisance of media reports that authorities tendered unconditional apologies before court.
• Contempt case pertains to alleged violation of apex court's direction to ensure no “complete prohibition” on Metro and train services in Delhi in the wake of the October 10 protest called by Cockroach Janta Party.
• The top court also issued notices to the Centre, others on various pleas related to the Election Commission filed by leaders like Asaduddin Owaisi.

Jantar Mantar case| SC issues notices to Centre, Delhi Police

• Supreme Court issues notices to Centre, Delhi Police while hearing petition challenging Centre’s move to denotify Jantar Mantar as protest site.
• Bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justice Bagchi orally observes that court will examine whether there had been an application of mind by authority concerning use and efficacy of Jantar Mantar.
• “We are issuing notice to the Centre, Delhi Police, seeking their reply. Let them reply. If it doesn’t satisfy, then the law will run its course,” court says.
• During hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing Centre tells court that decision was taken on recommendation of committee.
• Senior advocate Mukta Gupta argues protest site should be one where demonstrators can be heard.
• To this Justice Bagchi says the issue also had to be understood from the perspective of technology.

Here are the updates on the other petitions:

Women journalists: Court backs women-led inquiry panel to probe alleged sexual harassment of women journalists. Hearing another petition, court orders no coercive action against woman journalist alleging molestation by police officer.

Press freedom: Court says journalists exercise both freedom of expression and right to profession.

Assault of lawyers: Court issues notices to SCBA, SCAORA and connected petitions alleging police brutality on lawyers.

CCTV footage: Apex court directs police and other law enforcement agencies to preserve digital evidence of protests.

Custodial violence: Court issues orders on allegations of illegal detention and continuing police excesses.