A street vendor at Connaught Place has approached the Delhi High Court seeking to restrain the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) from holding a protest at Connaught Place on Friday, October 16.

Senior Advocate Sacchin Puri mentioned the matter before a Bench led by Acting Chief Justice Nitin W Sambre and sought urgent interim relief.

“This protest has to be stopped,” Puri submitted, citing disruption to normal life, severe traffic congestion and mounting financial losses for shop owners in Central Delhi.

The Bench noted that the Supreme Court was already hearing a batch of matters concerning the issue. Justice Sambre asked Puri to apprise the Court of the developments in the Supreme Court at 2:30 PM.

“Come back at 2:30 after Supreme Court hears the matter, we will consider,” the Acting Chief Justice remarked.

The petition, filed by Anil Kumar Gupta, states that he works as a street vendor at Palika Bazar in Connaught Place. Gupta has sought a ban on protests in Central Delhi, including Connaught Place.

He has also sought directions restraining CJP from organising any agitation, demonstration, march or gathering at Central Park, Connaught Place, or any other location that the authorities have not designated as a protest venue.

The plea comes after CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke called on citizens to gather with the national flag at Central Park in Connaught Place on October 16 at 5 PM. The proposed protest aims to oppose the detention of party leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka.

The police remanded the two leaders to five days of judicial custody over allegations that they entered Jantar Mantar without authorisation.