'Everyone Has Right To Protest Peacefully, But Not To Come On Streets & Cause Problems For Others' : CJI Surya Kant

While responding to a claim that criminal cases are being slapped against young individuals protesting with regard to naming of the Navi Mumbai International Airport, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant today said that everyone has a right to protest peacefully and lawfully, but they must not create a threat or law and order situation.

"They should not threat and create law and order problem. Everybody has a right to peaceful and lawful protest...as permissible in law can be done. But not come on streets and create problems for the common man...That should not happen", the CJI expressed.

A bench of CJI Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul M Pancholi was dealing with a petition filed by 'Prakashjhot Samajik Sanstha' challenging a Bombay High Court order which declined its similar plea. It disposed of the case with liberty to the petitioner to take recourse before the competent authority.

For context, the Maharashtra government has proposed renaming the Navi Mumbai airport as 'Loknete DB Patil Navi Mumbai International Airport'. The petitioner sought a timebound decision by the Centre with regard to the State government proposal.

Underlining that the issue raised fell in policy domain, the CJI asked the petitioner's counsel, "is it the function of the Court that what should be the name of an airport?" When the counsel submitted that the government may name the airport as it deems fit, but the petitioner only seeks that the decision may be taken in a timebound manner, the CJI remarked, "why should we pass an order? Tomorrow they may say we do not want to name...please don't ask for an order that become embarrassing for us also".

The CJI further added, "In a democratic setup, you have certain rights and you can pursue your remedies". When the petitioner's counsel replied that other remedies were pursued but the Union did not respond, the CJI said that sometimes one has to be persistent in raising demands. "In a democratic setup, authorities will ultimately realize that some decision has to be taken".

Case Title: PRAKASHJHOT SAMAJIK SANSTHA Versus UNION OF INDIA AND ORS., Diary No. 72298-2025