New Delhi: AISA president Neha Bora has told the Delhi High Court that she does not need permission to hoist the national flag, and has challenged a Delhi Police notice directing her to execute a "peace" bond before a Special Executive Magistrate.
The notice asked her to furnish a personal bond with one surety to "keep the peace" during the period of inquiry. Bora has sought quashing of the notice and directions that the police take no coercive action against her.
The petition came up before Justice Subramonium Prasad, who deferred the hearing at the request of Bora's counsel. The High Court is set to pronounce its order on Friday evening.
The Delhi Police objected to the petition, arguing that Bora should first approach the appropriate revisional court. The notice was issued by the Special Executive Magistrate.
The case sits alongside a wider round of protest politics in the capital, with student and civil-society groups pressing the Election Commission of India over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. A nationwide protest against the SIR and demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has been called for Friday, with economist Parakala Prabhakar, actor-activist Prakash Raj and Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke among those leading it.
For now, the question before the High Court is narrow: whether the police could require a bond before Bora's flag-hoisting, and what the force may do while the matter is heard.
The Delhi Police have maintained that Bora should have approached the revisional court first, a position the High Court will weigh when it rules on Friday evening.