New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Friday rejected a petition filed by All India Students’ Association (AISA) president Neha Bora challenging a police notice directing her to execute a peace bond following her participation in protests over alleged electoral fraud.
Justice Subramonium Prasad pronounced the order after hearing arguments from both sides. The notice, issued on October 17 by a special executive magistrate in New Delhi district, directed Bora to appear before the magistrate and furnish a personal bond of ₹10,000 with one surety.
Bora had challenged the notice on the grounds that it was ambiguous, factually incorrect and violated her fundamental rights under Articles 19 and 21 of the Constitution. Her petition argued that the notice did not provide sufficient material to establish the likelihood of a breach of peace or specify the circumstances and period during which such a breach was anticipated.
During the hearing, Delhi Police argued that preventive proceedings had been initiated in view of 12 alleged instances of violations involving Bora. The police also referred to a gathering where activists had raised demands for a change of government.
Bora’s counsel maintained that she was participating in a separate demonstration organised at Mandi House and was not involved in another protest planned at Central Park in Connaught Place.
Bora was detained on October 16 after joining an AISA flag march demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. She was released at around 6 am the following day, when the peace bond notice was issued.
The protests also involved members of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). Its founder, Abhijeet Dipke, was detained ahead of a rally at Connaught Place, while party members Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were taken into judicial custody after waving the national flag at Jantar Mantar. Both were subsequently released.
Bora, a 29 year old theatre artist and doctoral scholar at Jawaharlal Nehru University’s School of Arts and Aesthetics, has been repeatedly detained during protests organised by different political groups and student organisations.
Her participation in demonstrations alongside opposition leaders and activists has drawn attention amid continuing protests over allegations of electoral irregularities.
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