Overview
- The Supreme Court, which heard the cluster of petitions Tuesday, said no group can occupy a designated protest site indefinitely and issued notices to the Centre, Delhi government and police.
- The court directed traders’ associations to make the organisations behind the anti‑CEC demonstrations parties to their cases so it can hear both sides before ruling on curbs or relocations.
- Traders have asked for protest-free central Delhi during the festive season or for demonstrations to be moved to the outskirts, with CTI estimating roughly Rs 14,000 crore in business losses over the past month.
- The government has de‑notified Jantar Mantar and identified Ramlila Maidan, Burari Ground and CBD Ground as alternate venues, a choice the court will examine as it breaks the matters into separate hearings.
- Allegations of mass detentions, police excesses, metro closures, facial‑recognition surveillance and harassment will be heard in later, separate hearings, outcomes that could shape policing, press protections and festival trade access.