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Politics
Supreme Court Rules Delhi Police Cannot Repeatedly Issue Prohibitory Orders at Protests
✍️ ThePrint
🗓 13 Oct 2026, 07:33 AM
👁 14
In a 2018 Supreme Court judgment, Delhi Police were ruled out of the power to repeatedly issue prohibitory orders under Sections 144-163 during protests.
The Supreme Court delivered a landmark judgment in 2018 that clarified the limits of Delhi Police’s use of prohibitory orders during public protests.
The court held that repeated issuance of orders under Sections 144 to 163 is not permissible unless each order is justified on its own merits.
This ruling is seen as a safeguard for civil liberties, ensuring that police powers are exercised with due scrutiny rather than as a blanket tool.
Lawyers and civil‑rights groups welcomed the decision, noting it strengthens the balance between maintaining public order and protecting the right to peaceful assembly.
The court held that repeated issuance of orders under Sections 144 to 163 is not permissible unless each order is justified on its own merits.
This ruling is seen as a safeguard for civil liberties, ensuring that police powers are exercised with due scrutiny rather than as a blanket tool.
Lawyers and civil‑rights groups welcomed the decision, noting it strengthens the balance between maintaining public order and protecting the right to peaceful assembly.