A contempt petition was filed in the Supreme Court on Saturday, alleging that authorities continued to restrict Delhi Metro and railway services despite the court’s directions against a complete shutdown of public transport ahead of the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) planned protest.

The plea, reported by LiveLaw, accuses senior officials of deliberately disregarding the order issued on Friday, which directed authorities to ensure that Metro and railway services continued to operate in a regulated manner to minimise inconvenience to residents. The court’s intervention came amid extensive transport restrictions imposed ahead of the October 10 demonstration at Jantar Mantar. Officials Named In Contempt Petition

Filed by advocate Shailendra Mani Tripathi, the petition names Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) Chairperson D Thara as respondents. It alleges that the officials knowingly failed to comply with the court’s directions.

The petitioner argued that Metro stations had been closed and train services cancelled without adequate justification, despite the court’s direction that public transport should remain operational under appropriate regulation.

The plea claimed that the restrictions had severely “crippled public life” across the national capital, leaving commuters stranded and causing hardship to people who depend on public transport for essential journeys.

“Notwithstanding the solemn judicial mandate and the assurance recorded before the Bench of Hon’ble the Chief Justice, the Contemnors have consciously maintained a blanket shutdown across transit corridors, persisted with unwarranted train cancellations, and failed to issue or publicize transparent traffic and transit advisories,” the petition stated.

It further alleged that the measures had “severely crippled public life across the National Capital Territory, stranding essential travelers, and amounts to an intentional attempt to bypass and undermine the authority and majesty of this Hon’ble Court.”

Petitioner Cites Metro Station Closures

Tripathi alleged that Metro station gates at GTB Nagar and Vishwavidyalaya remained closed on Friday night despite the Supreme Court’s directions. According to the petition, passengers were allowed to exit through manually regulated gates.

The petitioner described the continued restrictions as a deliberate violation of the court’s order and called for action over the alleged non-compliance.

The contempt plea follows the Supreme Court’s Friday intervention against blanket transport restrictions ahead of the CJP protest. The court had emphasised that maintaining public order should not result in a complete prohibition on Metro and railway services or cause undue hardship to ordinary commuters. <Cite refs={[“turn962377search0″,”turn962377search7”]}/>

CJP Protest And Transport Restrictions

The CJP has called for a demonstration at Jantar Mantar on October 10, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Several opposition parties, including the Aam Aadmi Party and Left parties, have extended support to the demonstration. AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said party members would participate, while clarifying that the protest was being organised by the CJP.

The Congress has distanced itself from the demonstration. Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, was scheduled to attend an event in Chennai on Saturday.

Ahead of the protest, authorities announced restrictions affecting Metro stations, railway services, traffic movement and mobile internet access in parts of central Delhi. The contempt petition now challenges the continuation of those measures in the wake of the Supreme Court’s directions.

The petitioner’s allegations are yet to be adjudicated by the court.

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