Supreme Court questions Delhi Metro's massive station closures for protests

The Supreme Court on Friday flagged serious concerns over the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation's announcement to close 57 stations from 9 pm in anticipation of protests seeking Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation. In a sharp observation, the bench suggested that such sweeping measures appeared disproportionate to the actual threat posed by the demonstrations. "Don't use a hammer to kill a fly," the court remarked, questioning whether the scale of station closures was justified given the nature of the planned protests. The DMRC had announced the extensive closure as a precautionary measure ahead of the agitation, which has drawn demands for the CEC to step down over concerns raised by various political parties and civil society groups. The court's intervention highlighted the tension between security considerations and the public's right to mobility, with judges suggesting that more targeted measures might have sufficed. The matter underscores ongoing debates about proportionality in administrative responses to anticipated public demonstrations across Indian cities.