The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought responses from Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party MP Rahul Gandhi on a petition questioning their role in the Opposition’s march against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar to the top court last month, as it drew a massive crowd to the area and left a pregnant woman journalist injured.
The petition has also named Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Delhi Commissioner of Police, the Centre, the Supreme Court registry and the Congress as respondents.
He also moved an application seeking registration of a First Information Report against the Congress leader. Appearing for the petitioner, senior advocate Gaurav Bhatia said the Opposition led by Gandhi led a march till the top court on October 12, drawing a huge gathering of lawyers and supporters into the court precincts and creating a security scare. Bhatia also alleged a woman journalist who was three months pregnant was pushed by Gandhi, as a result of which she had to be hospitalised.
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who appeared for Gandhi and Kharge, told the court the responses would be filed soon. We will be filing our response,” he said.
“I only request that irresponsible statements should not be made before the court takes up the matter.
He urged the court to hear the matter along with a petition by women journalists, under the banner of ‘Network of Women in Media, India’, on alleged instances of sexual harassment while covering protests in the Capital.
Appearing for the Centre in the court, solicitor general Tushar Mehta said he will file a response to the petition by the next date. The petition said the top court is not merely a building housing the highest judicial authority in the country but represents the constitutional promise that disputes, however politically contentious, shall be adjudicated independently, impartially and exclusively in accordance with law.
