Authority: Supreme Court of India

Order Date: 11-10-2026

Case Overview

  • Petitioners: Shailendra Mani Tripathi (and intervenors) filed Contempt Petition (Civil) Diary No. 63801/2026 and Writ Petition (Criminal) Diary No. 63858/2026, arising from the impugned judgment and order dated 09-10-2026 (Diary No. 63560/2026).
  • Respondent: Govind Mohan, represented by the Solicitor General of India (Mr. Tushar Mehta) and Additional Solicitor General (Mr. S.V. Raju).
  • Allegations by petitioners: Violation of the Supreme Court’s 09-10-2026 order; complete shutdown of metro services (including GTB Nagar and Viswavidyalaya stations), closure of New Delhi and Nizamuddin railway stations, absence of traffic advisories, illegal detention of approximately 7,000 individuals, internet shutdown, and curfew‑like conditions in Delhi.
  • Government’s rebuttal: Only 45 of 303 metro stations were closed for law‑and‑order reasons; metro services resumed normal operation after 10 p.m. the previous day; internet connectivity restored; no illegal detentions, as those detained were released; the petitions mentioned were not served on the Union, limiting assistance.
  • Additional oral mentions: Diaries 63952/2026, 63943/2026, and 63944/2026 raised similar prayers.
  • Senior counsel submissions highlighted flagrant violations of Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS), and urged for basic amenities for peaceful protesters.

Final Outcome

1. Application for permission to file contempt petition is allowed.

2. Court notes urgent violations of its 09‑10‑2026 order and assembles an urgent hearing.

3. The Court reiterates its earlier order (09‑10‑2026) directing:

  • No outright prohibition on metro or rail services; regulated operation permissible.
  • Publication of traffic advisories in newspapers and online platforms.
  • Identification of alternative sites for peaceful protestors.
  • Compliance report to be filed by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, railway authorities, and Delhi Police (Traffic) within four days (by 13‑10‑2026).

4. The Court finds a prima facie case in the contempt petition and issues notice to alleged contemnors, directing them to file counter‑affidavits and the compliance report by 13‑10‑2026; personal presence is dispensed with.

5. Specific directions:

  • (a) Metro trains and railway facilities shall function normally unless regulated under Article 19(2).
  • (b) Free movement of people shall be ensured; barricades on roads to be reviewed promptly.
  • (c) Internet facilities shall function unhindered.
  • (d) No illegal detention of peaceful, unarmed assemblies beyond the area covered by Section 163 BNSS.
  • (e) Any notice board invoking Section 163 BNSS around Supreme Court premises must be removed immediately.
  • (f) Lawyers, journalists, and other professionals shall not be impeded in discharging their duties.

6. The Court lists the matter for further consideration on 13‑10‑2026 along with the referenced diaries and intervention applications.

Topics: Legal Compliance, Public Transport