Supreme Court Seeks Centre’s Response On Closure Of 17 Delhi Metro Stations During CJP Protests

New Delhi, September 11, 2026: The Supreme Court on Thursday sought responses from the Union and Delhi governments, the Delhi Police and the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on a plea challenging the closure of 17 Delhi Metro stations during the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) protests in Central Delhi over the NEET-UG 2026 question paper leaks.

A three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant issued notice on the petition filed by Delhi resident Sparsh Kant Nayak. The agitation had eventually led to the resignation of then Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Bar & Bench reports.

Court Weighs Executive Powers

During the hearing, the Supreme Court observed that judicial review in matters concerning law and order was limited as such issues generally fell within the Executive’s domain.

Justice Joymalya Bagchi, who was part of the Bench, said the court would intervene only if the Executive’s use of discretionary powers was found to be grossly disproportionate.

The court, however, agreed to examine whether the decision to close the metro stations was within reasonable limits and served public interest.

“Standard Operating Procedures in such cases are actually a mirage. When it comes to such questions, courts have deferred to the executive authority. It is only when it becomes disproportionate that courts step in. So we will have to examine the way in which the discretion is being exercised,” Justice Bagchi said.

Plea Questions Metro Closures

The petition argued that the closure of the metro stations, citing security reasons, severely affected commuter movement in the national capital and impacted the public’s right to move freely.

The plea claimed that there was no provision under the Metro Railways Act that allowed the shutting down of stations. It also questioned whether any statutory procedure existed for such closures, pointing out that the communication regarding the decision was made through social media.

During the hearing, the court noted that traffic and commuter restrictions were usually issued by the Commissioner of Police or Superintendent of Police under relevant laws.

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The matter will now be examined by the court after responses are received from the concerned authorities. The case raises questions over the extent of executive powers during protests and whether decisions affecting public utilities require a clear legal framework.

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