Supreme Court asks govt to consider ‘important’ plea that Jantar Mantar is not the right site for protests

The Supreme Court is considering a petition to re-evaluate Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site, citing issues like ingress-egress, public inconvenience, and security concerns, especially with large, digitally mobilized gatherings. The plea suggests designating Ramlila Maidan or another suitable venue. The Court emphasized the need to balance the fundamental right to peaceful protest with the rights of citizens to live peacefully and use public spaces, referencing its previous judgments in 2018 (lifting Jantar Mantar ban) and 2020 (Shaheen Bagh case), which underscored that protests must be held in designated places and not indefinitely occupy public spaces.