No blanket ban on protests at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, Boat Club: SC

New Delhi, July 23: The Supreme Court on Monday said there cannot be any "blanket ban" on holding protests at Delhi's historic Jantar Mantar located at the periphery of Parliament Street and the Boat Club on Rajpath.

Emphasising on the need to balance between the right to protest and the security considerations, a bench of Justice A.K. Sikri and Justice Ashok Bhushan said that the Delhi Police will have to frame guidelines to regulate protests at both spots.

Directing the guidelines to be framed "very soon", the bench also noted that as it is there was need for police permission for holding protests or demonstrations.

The court ruling came while deciding on a challenge to the green tribunal's order prohibiting protests at Jantar Mantar and a plea by NGO Majdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan and the Indian Ex-Servicemen's Movement and others challenging the perennial imposition of prohibitory orders (Section 144) in the central Delhi area wherein all important government offices including Parliament House is located.