SC raps Rahul Gandhi over protest march, says nobody can browbeat judiciary
The top court issued notices to opposition leaders after crowd commotion marked their demonstration near court premises.
The Supreme Court has issued notices to Rahul Gandhi, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, and other opposition leaders over their October 12 protest march towards the apex court, strongly admonishing their conduct and warning that no one can pressure the country's constitutional institutions.
A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi made the sharp observations while hearing petitions related to the demonstration. "We are not sitting in an ivory tower," the Chief Justice remarked, stating that the court would require Gandhi to explain his conduct and clarify how crowds entered the Supreme Court premises during the protest despite a prior request for a meeting having been declined.
What happened during the October 12 march
The opposition procession, billed as the 'Chalo Dilli – March for Democracy', brought thousands of supporters into central Delhi on October 12. Demonstrators were protesting against the Election Commission of India's Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Police attempted to halt the procession near Barakhamba Road, where several demonstrators pushed through security barricades. The crowd subsequently moved onto Bhagwan Das Road, where protesters climbed onto parked buses and police vehicles. Delhi Police later registered a case at the Tilak Marg police station regarding the incident.
Rahul Gandhi was accompanied on the march by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav, and other top leaders of the opposition coalition.
How the Supreme Court handled the petitions
The top court decided to separate the petitions challenging the Election Commission's electoral roll revision from those addressing the street protest and crowd commotion. The bench issued a notice to the Election Commission on the petition challenging the Special Intensive Revision process, while making it clear that hearing the legal challenge does not condone the conduct of political leaders.
| Case Subject | Key Issues Before Court | Supreme Court Action |
|---|---|---|
| Electoral Roll Revision | Allegations of voter list deletions and lack of transparency | Notice issued to Election Commission of India |
| October 12 Demonstration | Security breaches, crowd commotion, and march to court premises | Notice issued to Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav, and others |
Addressing attempts to influence proceedings through street demonstrations, Chief Justice Surya Kant affirmed that nobody can browbeat the judiciary, underscoring the necessity of institutional decorum and adherence to lawful procedure.
Key numbers
| What | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Date of protest march | 12 October | Court records and police statements |
| Police station handling FIR | Tilak Marg police station | Delhi Police |
In this story
| Name | Role in the story |
|---|---|
| Rahul Gandhi | Led the protest march and was asked by SC to explain his conduct. |
| Supreme Court of India | Issued notices and admonished leaders over protest conduct. |
