Right to peaceful protest granted, police excesses can be punished: SC
Supreme Court upheld the right to peaceful protest and held that unlawful police excesses during demonstrations can be punished through legal process.
- Peaceful protest is treated as a right, but police can control unlawful disruption using lawful action, not unchecked force.
- When injuries or harmful conduct occur during protests, legal process should address wrongdoing instead of relying on arbitrary police action.
What happened: Supreme Court protected peaceful protest and limited unlawful police force
The Supreme Court affirmed the right to peaceful protest and signalled that police action during demonstrations is not unlimited. The Court held that police excesses or unlawful conduct during protests can be punished, and that disputes involving injuries or harmful conduct on both sides should be addressed through legal process instead of force outside law.
Background and earlier position: protest rights exist, but public order needs balancing
UPSC can use this ruling to test how the right to peaceful protest (Freedom of speech and assembly) is protected, while police must still maintain public order under the rule of law. The focus is on court-set limits on police excesses and the requirement to route disputes and harm through legal procedures.
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