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The Delhi High Court on Friday declined to urgently list a plea filed by the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) challenging the Delhi Polices refusal to grant permission for a proposed protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar at Jantar Mantar and said the matter would be heard on Monday.
The plea was mentioned for urgent listing before a division bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre by Senior Advocate Sanjay Ghose. Seeking an urgent hearing, Ghose submitted that the petition had been filed two days ago. However, the court declined to take it up on Friday. What is the urgency? We will hear it on Monday, the Acting Chief Justice said. The petition has been filed by IYC national president Uday Bhanu Chib, challenging a Delhi Police order dated October 1 rejecting the organisations request to hold the demonstration. According to the plea, the IYC had approached the police on September 25 seeking permission to organise a peaceful protest involving around 100-150 people. The organisation claimed it was willing to comply with all conditions relating to security, traffic management and the maintenance of public order. The plea states that despite repeated follow-ups, the police communicated their decision only on October 1, which was also the proposed date of the protest. The IYC has argued that while the police are empowered to regulate public gatherings, they cannot impose a blanket restriction without considering the circumstances of a particular event. The organisation has further contended that the refusal to grant permission infringes upon its fundamental rights to freedom of speech and expression and peaceful assembly under Articles 19(1)(a) and 19(1)(b) of the Constitution. The petition also challenges the alleged mechanical application of guidelines governing protests and public assemblies. It has been filed through advocate Roopesh Singh Bhadauria. (ANI)
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