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India’s Supreme Court on Friday questioned sweeping transport restrictions in New Delhi ahead of a planned protest on Saturday, after several trains were cancelled and restrictions were proposed at 57 metro stations.
A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant expressed concern over measures that could disrupt the daily lives of ordinary citizens, stressing that an entire city could not be brought to a standstill in the name of security.
The protest, called by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), is scheduled for October 10 at Jantar Mantar.
The party is demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in voter-list revisions.
Indian Railways cancelled mail and express trains scheduled to arrive at New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin stations between 4am and 2pm on Saturday, citing anticipated traffic congestion. Several long-distance services, including Rajdhani Express trains from Howrah and Sealdah, were also affected.
The court made clear that metro services could not be shut down completely and called on authorities to regulate transport services in a way that minimises inconvenience to commuters.
It also directed authorities to issue a traffic advisory for the public.
Authorities have stepped up security ahead of the protest, while the restrictions have triggered criticism from opposition leaders and prompted legal challenges in the Supreme Court.