Supreme Court issues notice to Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, AAP leaders in 2020 protest case

The Supreme Court has issued notices to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and several Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders on a petition filed by the Chandigarh Administration challenging a Punjab and Haryana High Court ruling that quashed a rioting case linked to a 2020 protest against higher electricity tariffs.

The notices were issued to Mann, Harpal Singh Cheema, Gurmeet Singh, Meet Hayer, Baljinder Kaur, Aman Arora and others, directing them to respond to the Chandigarh Administration's petition.

During the hearing, the Additional Solicitor General argued that the High Court's decision was legally flawed. According to the submissions made before the Supreme Court, the protest involved an unlawful assembly and the respondents were named in the FIR. The Administration further alleged that some participants in the gathering engaged in violence, resulting in injuries to police personnel.

The Supreme Court has not ruled on the merits of the case. The matter will proceed after the respondents file their replies to the petition.