Calcutta High Court quashes charges over 2021 school hiring protest
India
The Calcutta High Court just made it clear: peaceful protests are not crimes, even if officials find them inconvenient.
The court tossed out charges against six people who protested alleged hiring issues in state-run schools in 2021.
This decision comes at a time when protest restrictions are getting stricter in Delhi, raising concerns about basic rights.
Anuj Singh rejects charges, cites Constitution
Justice Anuj Singh found that calling the protest an "unlawful assembly" or a COVID-19 violation did not fit: there were not enough legal grounds for those charges.
He also pointed to India's Constitution, reminding everyone that free speech and peaceful assembly are protected rights, and said you cannot criminalize protest just because authorities do not approve.