# SC flags concerns as government cancels trains, shuts Metro for protest 2026-10-10T01:12:49+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet The Supreme Court on Friday, 9 October, directed the government to ensure rail and metro services are not completely halted ahead of a protest by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) on Saturday, 10 October in Delhi. The government had cancelled multiple trains arriving at and departing from Delhi and closed 57 Delhi Metro stations. The court, hearing a petition argued by senior lawyer Kapil Sibal, said services should be kept running proportionately and not cause public inconvenience. Chief Justice Suryakant remarked, ‘If you want to impose restrictions, take only the necessary steps. This does not mean using a sledgehammer to kill a fly.’ The CJP announced the protest at Jantar Mantar demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The party has not been granted police permission for the venue. Separately, the Union Home Ministry approved a temporary internet shutdown from 10 pm on 9 October to 10 pm on 10 October in the four-kilometre area around Janpath-Kartavya Path Chowk. The protest coincides with the start of the Dussehra festival on 11 October, when large numbers of travellers use trains to return home, raising concerns about further disruption. ## Indian Opinion Analysis The Supreme Court’s intervention, comparing the service suspensions to using a sledgehammer to swat a fly, signals judicial discomfort with the scale of the government’s precautionary measures. The blanket cancellation of trains and closure of 57 metro stations, coupled with a temporary internet blackout in a 4-km zone around the protest site, directly inconveniences residents and thousands of travellers heading home for Dussehra, which starts 11 October. The court did not block the action but insisted on proportionality, pressing the government to ensure essential rail and metro services remain available. The real test will be the outcome is whether the government complies with that direction on Saturday, 10 October, when the protest is scheduled to begin at Jantar Mantar without police permission. ## Coverage - bbc.com Led with court concern and opposition criticism, downplayed government rationale This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: Cockroach Janata Party, Delhi Metro, Gyanesh Kumar, Jantar Mantar, Kapil Sibal, Supreme Court of India Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/sc-flags-concerns-as-government-cancels-trains-shuts-metro-for-protest/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/sc-flags-concerns-as-government-cancels-trains-shuts-metro-for-protest/#story-in-brief How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/