The matter relates to a protest by CJP in the national capital in July, during which 17 metro stations in central Delhi were closed amid security restrictions. Strict restrictions were also imposed around Jantar Mantar. The closures led to heavy traffic congestion in central Delhi, leaving thousands of passengers stranded for hours and forcing several commuters to take longer and more expensive routes.
Challenging what the petition described as an arbitrary disruption of public transport, advocate Sparsh Kant Nayak approached the Supreme Court. During the hearing, the lawyer told the court that the matter concerned the fundamental rights of the general public and the constitutional standards governing the closure of a public utility.
The petition further argued that no written or statutory order had been issued for closing the metro stations and that the information about the closures was instead conveyed through a post on the social media platform X. It was also argued that the Metro Railways Act contains no provision under which metro stations can be suddenly closed.
The bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Suryakant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohana heard the matter. During the proceedings, Justice Bagchi orally observed that orders regulating traffic or movement are generally issued by the Police Commissioner under the relevant police laws.
Considering the seriousness of the matter, the Supreme Court issued notices to all the parties and sought their responses. The legal proceedings will now examine the extent to which essential public services such as the metro can be shut down in the name of public safety and order, and under what rules such closures can be imposed.
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