Neha Bora's plea against peace bond notice rejected by HC
What's the story
The Delhi High Court has rejected a petition filed by Neha Bora, president of the All India Students' Association (AISA). The petition challenged a notice asking her to sign a peace bond before a special executive magistrate. The notice was issued after recent protests, including one at Mandi House on October 16, over alleged electoral fraud.
Legal proceedings
Notice directed Bora to appear before magistrate
Justice Subramonium Prasad pronounced the order after hearing arguments on Thursday.
The notice, issued by the Special Executive Magistrate court in New Delhi district on October 17, directed Bora to appear before the magistrate and execute a personal bond of ₹10,000 with one surety.
Bora argued through advocate Abhik Chimni that the notice was vague and incorrect, violating her fundamental rights under Articles 19 and 21 of the Constitution.
Police allegations
ASG cites 12 instances of alleged violations by Bora
During Thursday's hearing, Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma represented the Delhi Police and cited 12 instances of alleged violations by Bora.
He argued that the proceedings were preventive in nature and alleged that she was part of a gathering where activist Prashant Bhushan and Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders called for a regime change.
Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for Bora, countered this, saying, "There is nothing wrong in regime change in a democracy."
Protest participation
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke also detained on same day
Bora was detained on October 16 after leading a flag march with AISA activists demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. She was released around 6:00am the next day.
On the same day, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke was also detained ahead of a rally at Connaught Place. Dipke was released the next day, while two other CJP members were sent to judicial custody for waving national flags at Jantar Mantar on October 13.
Activism profile
Bora has been detained multiple times this month
Bora, a theater artist and doctoral scholar at Jawaharlal Nehru University, has been detained multiple times this month during protests by various political groups.
She is affiliated with CPI(ML)-Liberation's student wing AISA and has moved between opposition parties and the CJP.
During an October 12 march to the Supreme Court by the INDIA bloc, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi walked behind Bora and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.