Delhi High Court Seeks Police Response on Protest

The Delhi High Court has requested the Delhi Police's response regarding a plea from climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and others seeking permission to hold a protest at Jantar Mantar. The court, consisting of Justices Prathiba M. Singh and Amit Sharma, scheduled the next hearing for October 22 after hearing arguments from Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who claimed there was no urgency in the matter. Wangchuk and his associates, who marched from Leh to Delhi, were previously detained by police on September 30 while advocating for the inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, which grants greater autonomy to tribal areas. Their request for the protest was denied on October 5, prompting the legal action claiming infringement of their rights to free speech and peaceful assembly. The petition argues that the police failed to provide valid reasons for the protest denial and suggests alternative locations could have been offered instead of outright rejection.