- Closure of 16 Delhi Metro stations continued due to student protests at Jantar Mantar
- Supreme Court Bar Association President raised the issue in court citing lawyer difficulties
- CJI Surya Kant says he will intervene if nothing happens till the lunch time
The issue of closure of several Metro stations in the Capital due to student protests reached the Supreme Court on Thursday.
A number of Metro stations in central Delhi have remained shut for the last few days as the protest at Jantar Mantar led by the social media platform Cockroach Janta Party has intensified.
At least 16 Metro stations remained shut on Thursday as well amid the protests. The Supreme Court metro station is one of them.
The issue was mentioned in the top court by Supreme Court Bar Association President Vikas Singh.
Pointing to the closure of key stations around the Supreme Court, Singh said many lawyers and court staff were facing problems and were unable to reach the court on time.
The Bar president urged Chief Justice of India Surya Kant to intervene, to which the Chief Justice remarked that he will intervene if nothing happens till lunchtime.
Mentioning the issue, Vikas Singh said that persons holding valid Supreme Court entry passes, along with Registry staff, should be allowed to exit at the Supreme Court Metro station after appropriate security screening.
"In the metro, there is one advantage that when they come out of the train, there is an exit point. There they can be screened. People having proximity cards, and Registry staff, can be permitted to come out, and the rest can be told to take the other train and go. So people will be able to use the train also," Singh submitted.
Responding to the concern, the CJI said that the Supreme Court administration had already been asked to take up the matter with the Metro authorities.
He further assured the Bar that if the issue remained unresolved, he would personally step in.
"If by lunchtime something does not happen to open the Metro station, I will intervene. We have directed that no adverse orders should be passed today for non-appearance of lawyers etc," the Chief Justice stated.
The Delhi Metro on Thursday morning announced the closure of 16 metro stations, including the Supreme Court metro station, until further orders.
