Senior advocate and former Union minister Kapil Sibal expressed deep frustration on Saturday regarding the judicial process, stating he has "no hope" of finding relief in the courts. His remarks followed the imposition of sweeping security measures across New Delhi intended to prevent a planned protest by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).
The youth pressure group had called for demonstrations at Jantar Mantar to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. Ahead of the protest, the Delhi Police implemented significant movement restrictions, including the closure of numerous metro stations and a temporary halt on train arrivals at New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin railway stations. The protest ultimately failed to take place as planned, with top CJP leaders detained upon their arrival at the airport and thousands of supporters stopped while marching toward the city centre.
Representing CPI(M) general secretary MA Baby during an urgent Supreme Court hearing on Friday, Sibal challenged the severity of these measures, questioning the state of the country. While the Supreme Court permitted some restrictions, it directed the Centre against enforcing a complete shutdown, which led to a reduction in the number of closed metro stations from 57 to 45. Despite this, the 10-hour restriction on incoming train services remained in place throughout the day.
Sibal, while maintaining that the Supreme Court remains the sole institution capable of safeguarding the Constitution, reiterated his fatigue regarding legal intervention. The situation reflects ongoing tensions in the national capital as political figures and civil groups continue to clash over the right to assemble and the government's response to public dissent.
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