The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought the personal presence of a senior Delhi Police officer to explain the alleged assault on women journalists during the recent protests in Delhi.

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant made the observation after Senior Advocate Indira Jaising mentioned a petition filed by the Network of Women in Media, India (NWMI), seeking safeguards for journalists covering protests, particularly women journalists.

“We'd like some senior officer to remain present here and explain,” the CJI said, adding that the police would have to explain the allegations.

Jaising informed the Court that advance notice had been given to the Solicitor General. The CJI said the petition would be listed for hearing on Thursday along with the matter concerning the alleged police action.

Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan mentioned a contempt petition filed by Freedom Speech Collective alleging that the police assaulted journalists in violation of the Court's October 10 order that mediapersons covering the protests must not be harassed.

Senior Advocate Chander Uday Singh also mentioned a similar petition.

The NWMI has filed a writ petition seeking directions to ensure the safety and dignity of journalists covering protests and other public events.

The petition contends that the existing inquiry into alleged police excesses does not specifically address issues concerning journalists' access to protest sites, their detention or forcible removal, and the safeguards required for independent reporting and newsgathering.

It seeks directions to the Union of India to ensure that women journalists engaged in bona fide newsgathering or reporting are not subjected to physical handling, intimidation, arbitrary detention or forcible removal merely because of their presence at or proximity to a protest, public assembly, crowd-control operation or other event of public importance.

The petition seeks safeguards to enable journalists to discharge their professional duties without being subjected to police action merely for covering such events.