Traders Oppose CJP Protest In Connaught Place, Supreme Court Assures "Loss of Business" Will Be Compensated
A plea was mentioned today before a CJI Surya Kant led bench against the closure of Central Park in Connaught Place ahead of protests.
The plea before SC has cited NDMC notification shutting down the Central Park in Cannaught place, restricting trade.
The Supreme Court has assured traders before it of compensation in case any loss of business is caused to them on account of restrictions imposed in Connaught Place, New Delhi ahead of the protests announced by Cockroach Janta Party.
The protests have been announced to express solidarity with its arrested leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka. Das and Ashutosh Ranka have been remanded to five days of judicial custody for allegedly trespassing at Jantar Mantar by crossing police barricades and entering the area after it was denotified as a protest site.
A Bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi heard a plea filed in relation to New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC)'s decision to close the Central Park in Connaught Place for two days ahead of the protests.
Kirana Traders petition was mentioned before CJI Surya Kant today by Advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai. "There is a grave urgency. Festive season is coming up and Karwa Chauth, Dussehra, Diwali," Dehadrai told the bench.
Agreeing with the submission the CJI observed that small hawkers and businesses should not suffer. "We hope that better sense will prevail and these shopkeepers won't suffer," CJI said.
On Dehadrai's submission that a NDMC's notification shut down the Central Park in Cannaught place, meaning no trade can take place there, Justice Bagchi assured, "If there is any loss of business, there are principles in law to compensate you."
The Delhi High Court is also seized of similar petitions concerning the ongoing protests in Delhi seeking implementation of a standard operating procedure (SOP) to regulate protests, with the petitioner alleging that traders in the surrounding areas had suffered losses of around ₹2,000 crore due to ongoing protest activities.
The plea by traders seeks the implementation of guidelines and a standard operating procedure (SOP) to regulate protests, as well as a separate petition seeking an investigation into alleged violence against protesters on October 10.
The petitioners have emphasised that the plea was not seeking to prevent protests altogether but to ensure that the existing framework governing them was implemented. The alleged loss of ₹2,000 crore was cited by the petitioner to underline the claimed economic impact of the ongoing protest activities.
Mentioning Date: October 16, 2026
Bench: CJI Kant, Justice Bagchi