Protest against CEC: Contempt case filed in Supreme Court over Delhi’s ongoing transit shutdown

A view of Jahangir Puri Metro Station as the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) announced that entry and exit gates at 57 stations will remain closed from 9:00 PM on 9 October 2026 until further notice for security reasons. | Photo credit: Sushil Kumar Verma

A High Court lawyer on Saturday (October 9, 2026) filed a contempt action in the high court over the ongoing “widespread shutdown of transit corridors” to and within the capital.

Watch for updates on Anti-CEC protests in Delhi on 10 October 2026.

Advocate Shailendra Mani Tripathi said the shutdown was a clear violation of the Supreme Court’s October 9 order, which emphasized that the authorities must not cause any inconvenience or suffering to common commuters through a blanket ban and impose restrictions in an appropriate and regulated manner only before and during the October 10 protests for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Mr. Tripathi is the lead petitioner who filed a case in the Supreme Court against the youth protestors on July 20 during the NEET-UG paper leak protests.

He sought a court order to initiate contempt proceedings against Union Home Minister Govinda Mohan, IAS; Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar, IPS and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) Chairman D. Thara, IAS, for allegedly willfully disobeying court directions.

“Despite the solemn court mandate and assurance recorded before the Supreme Court of India bench, the contumors knowingly maintained widespread shutdown across the transit corridors, insisted on unauthorized cancellation of trains and did not issue or publish transparent traffic and transit alerts,” the petition said.

It said the “deliberate mutiny” severely crippled public life in the National Capital Territory, imprisoned important travelers and amounted to a deliberate attempt to circumvent and undermine the authority and majesty of the court.

“The Supreme Court noted the commitment of the Attorney General of India and categorically ruled that there would be no outright ban on metro trains or essential rail transit; Transport authorities were directed to move from blanket ‘ban’ to reasonable ‘regulation’ to avoid any nuisance or inconvenience to citizens,” it said, adding that any such regulatory framework and traffic information were immediately required to be printed media and traffic information posted immediately.

In its October 9 order, the apex court sought compliance reports from the authorities within four days.

Published – 10 Oct 2026 10:54 IST