Supreme Court declines to entertain plea to stop tractor rally on Republic Day

Supreme Court. File pic

The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to entertain an application by Centre through Delhi Police to stop protesting farmer unions from carrying out tractor rally into the Capital on Republic Day.

A bench headed by Chief Justice S.A. Bobde said it is highly improper for the court to intervene in the matter, as the police is the first authority to decide on the issue of law and order. The top court also turned down the Centre's request to have a hearing on the matter on January 25 and also keep the application pending. The Centre withdrew the application from the top court.

The Chief Justice told Attorney General K.K. Venugopal and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, that "you are the executive, you have authority to take whatever action through police.....Centre has powers to act on law and order, we won't intervene."

On Monday, the top court had already said that Delhi Police are the first authority to decide on the rally, and not the court.

The Centre, through the Delhi Police, have filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court, seeking an order of injunction restraining anyone to conducting any protest march either in the form of tractor/trolley/vehicle march or any other mode in the national capital on the Republic Day.

The Centre said it has come to the knowledge of the security agencies, through various sources, that the small group of protesting individuals/organisations have planned to carry out a tractor/trolley/vehicle march on Republic Day on January 26.

"Any disruption or obstruction in the said functions would not only be against the law and order, public order, public interest but would also be a huge embarrassment for the nation," it said.

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