Jantar Mantar has been a popular site for protests for over two decades. (File)
Protests and sit-ins will be back at Jantar Mantar and Boat Club in the heart of Delhi, the Supreme Court ruled today, stating that there could not be a complete ban.
The Delhi Police has been asked to set up rules to allow protests again in the two spots, where protests were banned last year by the National Green Tribunal. "We have to balance the interests of the protesters," the court said. "There cannot be a complete ban on holding protests at places like Jantar Mantar and Boat Club (near India Gate)," the bench said.
The green tribunal's ban was challenged by protest groups like Mazdoor Kissan Shakti Sangatan, the ex-servicemen movement and others, who said it is their "fundamental right".
The petitioners had argued that in central Delhi, there are restrictions on large gatherings.
The green court, while banning protests at Boat Club and Jantar Mantar had criticised the government of failing to give residents a clean, pollution-free environment and forcing them to live with noise pollution in the name of the right to freedom of speech and expression.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, "I welcome the Hon'ble Supreme Court verdict upholding peaceful right to protest in central Delhi. Attempts to convert Delhi into a police state is dangerous for democracy and rightly struck down by Hon'ble Supreme Court."
Jantar Mantar has been a popular site for protests for over two decades. The sight of tents and sit-ins, protesters on hunger strike, union leaders giving loud speeches was common in the footpaths near the 1724 monument that demonstrates ancient astronomy.
Before Jantar Mantar, Boat Club in Rajpath, the ceremonial road near India's top government offices, was synonymous with protests. But the area became out of bounds after a massive farmer protest, with lakhs of protesters setting up camp in the most protected area of the city, nearly paralysed Delhi.
Protests were allowed again at Boat Club in 2011.
(With inputs from PTI)