Supreme Court on Delhi’s Protest Lockdown: Prohibition versus Regulation and the Proportionality Test for Restricting Assembly

On 9 October 2026 a Supreme Court bench of CJI Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana called Delhi’s transport notifications “overreaching” and told the Centre that regulation “does not mean that you will use a hammer to kill a fly”. The hearing came a day before the 10 October protest called by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), the All India Students’ Association (AISA) and others, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Delhi Police had already refused permission at Jantar Mantar, citing short notice.