Oct 10 protest curbs: Home Ministry clarifies on practice to begin affidavit in SC with unconditional apology

New Delhi, Oct 15 (IANS) Hinting at attempts to distort facts, the Union Home Ministry on Thursday said that some media organisations are reporting that the Home Secretary has tendered an unconditional apology to the Supreme Court in response to a contempt notice related to curbs imposed in Delhi in view of the CJP’s protest on October 10.

Clarifying that such claims are misleading, the Ministry said, “Whenever a contempt notice is issued by the Supreme Court, it is required that the party responding to the notice must begin their affidavit with an unconditional apology. Only thereafter are all other facts and arguments presented.”

The Ministry said, “This is mandatorily followed in every contempt petition. Following this practice, the first paragraph of the affidavits filed by the Home Secretary, Commissioner of Police, and other concerned officials complied with this requirement. Thereafter, detailed particulars in the affidavit have been furnished.”

Through its counter-affidavit before the Supreme Court, the Central government defended its decision to suspend mobile internet services in parts of central Delhi during the October 10 protest against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, organised by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), and denied that it had wilfully disobeyed the court’s directions.

The Ministry said that in its affidavit it has been clearly established that all actions taken by the Government and the Police were fully compliant with the law, and no case of contempt was made out against them.

In its affidavit, filed on Wednesday, the Centre maintained that the temporary suspension of internet services was necessary to prevent a disturbance of public order and constituted a proportionate response to the prevailing circumstances.

It also urged the Supreme Court to discharge the contempt notice issued to Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan in connection with the restrictions imposed during the protest.

The Centre further sought a modification of the Supreme Court’s order to permit the suspension of internet services in situations where such a measure becomes necessary, provided that the decision is taken in strict compliance with the law and the applicable statutory safeguards.

–IANS

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