Plea In Delhi High Court To Allow Sonam Wangchuk, Others From Ladakh To Hold Peaceful Protest At Jantar Mantar

A petition has been filed before the Delhi High Court seeking permission to allow climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and his associates from Ladakh to hold peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar or any other suitable location from October 08 to October 23 for raising environmental awareness and demanding Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh.

The plea has been filed by Apex Body Leh, an organization working towards protecting Ladakh's cultural environmental interests. The organisation initiated the march with approximately 200 padyatris, including Wangchuk, and began the Pad Yatra from Leh to New Delhi.

The petition was mentioned today before a division bench comprising of Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela which refused urgent listing for today but said that the matter be listed tomorrow.

The organization is aggrieved by a letter issued by the Commissioner of Delhi Police on October 05 rejecting the request to hold a peaceful demonstration at Jantar Mantar.

The plea states that the refusal infringes upon the petitioner organization's fundamental rights to speech and peaceful assembly under Articles 19(1)(a) and 19(1)(b) of the Constitution of India.

It adds that the Delhi Police failed to provide any valid or reasonable grounds for rejecting the request for holding peaceful protest.

“The proposed demonstration is a peaceful expression of dissent aimed at highlighting significant social issues by the Petitioner organisation. The proposed anshan is aimed at raising awareness about critical societal issues and communicating grievances to the authorities. By denying permission, the respondent is effectively suppressing this fundamental right and limiting the petitioner's ability to engage in public discourse, undermining the principle of open expression,” the plea reads.

Recently, the bench had disposed of three petitions against the alleged detention of Wangchuk and others. This was after the Delhi Police informed the Court that Sonam Wangchuk and his associates were released and set free.

Wangchuk was leading the march called “Delhi Chalo Padyatra” which began in Leh last month. He was detained at Singhu Border on the night of September 30, along with other people from Ladakh.

The march was organised by the Leh Apex Body. LAB, along with the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), has been leading an agitation to demand statehood for Ladakh.

Title: Apex Body Leh v. Government of NCT of Delhi & Anr.