Lawyers, Journalists, Other Professionals Should Not Be Stopped From Doing Their Job Amid Delhi Protest Curbs : Supreme Court
Lawyers, journalists and other professionals should not be impeded from carrying out their professional duties, the Supreme Court categorically said today during the CEC protest matter.
After allegations were levelled that Delhi Police prevented lawyers and journalists from carrying out their professional duties, a bench of Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana impressed upon Solicitor General Tushar Mehta that these professionals must not be obstructed from carrying out their professional duties.
In the order, the Court recorded the SG's assurance (on instructions) that lawyers, journalists and other professionals will not be impeded in discharge of professional duties. It further directed that free movement of people shall be permitted across the city subject to traffic regulations.
During the hearing, the senior counsels/counsels for petitioners, particularly Senior Advocates KK Venugopal, Kapil Sibal, Gopal Sankaranarayanan, Menaka Guruswamy and Sanjay Hegde, and SCAORA President Devratt Yadav pressed the issues pertaining to lawyers and journalists. As per their contentions, certain lawyers were prevented from assisting their clients during the October 10 protest and even beaten up at a police station.
Senior Advocate Shadan Farasat also mentioned to the court how even he was brutalized during the protest. He urged that the situation was only a step short of the capital looking like a police state.
Sr Advocate Hegde also submitted that SG Tushar Mehta, as leader of the Bar, must ensure that all lawyers can access their clients and provide them assistance. He alleged that lawyers were beaten in police stations yesterday and threatened with FIRs.
The bench ultimately passed the above order, as an interim measure, until the authorities come back with their response on Tuesday.
Also from the hearing :