Shaheen Bagh Protests: Supreme Court to take up plea seeking clearance of Kalindi Kunj road on Monday, after Delhi elections

The Supreme Court today deferred the hearing in the petitions concerning the anti CAA protests at Shaheen Bagh in Delhi till February 10. The Court cited the Delhi Assembly Elections, scheduled for Feb 8, as the reason for deferring the matter.

Petitions filed by one Amit Sahni and BJP leader Nand Kishore Garg were taken up for hearing together by the Bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and KM Joseph today. The Court said that it would "be in a better position to hear the matters on Monday."

One of the lawyers in the matter told the Court that the Delhi Assembly Elections are scheduled to be held on Saturday, February 8, implying that the matter needed to be heard before the same. However, the Court cited the election as the very reason for it to hear the matters on Monday.

"This is exactly why we will hear it on Monday... Why should we hear it before the election?" the Bench said.

Two petitions have been filed for the clearance of Kalindi Kunj Road, which is in proximity to the site of the protests. The first petition has been filed by lawyer and activist, Amit Sahni. Sahni has prayed for certain specific directions for the removal of the blockage at the protest site.

Sahni also seeks for the situation to be monitored or supervised by a retired judge of the Supreme Court or a retired judge of the Delhi High Court in order "to circumvent any violence".

The second petition has been filed by BJP leader Nand Kishore Garg. He has sought the removal of protesters from the site on Kalindi Kunj Road.

Both the petitions will be heard on Monday.