By GlobalDeskNews Staff | New Delhi | October 10, 2026
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant's verbal intervention on Saturday freed lawyers detained by Delhi Police outside the Supreme Court in New Delhi. The lawyers had been protesting peacefully for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation when police took them to the Yamuna Sports Complex, holding them for nearly two hours before releasing them.
Lawyers detained outside the Supreme Court
The lawyers were detained on Saturday morning while staging a peaceful protest outside the Supreme Court, demanding the CEC's resignation over the electoral-roll revision (SIR). The protest ran parallel to the Cockroach Janata Party's banned "Jantar Mantar 2.0" demonstration, which triggered mass detentions across the capital.
Advocate Shashank Singh, among those detained, told The Hindu the group had planned a march towards Mandi House: "We were protesting peacefully and were planning to march towards Mandi House." Times Now also reported that journalists from The Wire, Scroll and Newslaundry were detained while covering the protests and later released — a claim no second outlet has confirmed.
Bar bodies react with emergency resolutions
Both the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCAORA) passed resolutions addressed to CJI Surya Kant, seeking the lawyers' immediate release. The SCBA's resolution condemned reported excessive force against senior and young advocates, "particularly women advocates", and SCBA president Pradeep Rai later publicly thanked the CJI for his timely intervention.
SCAORA president Devvrat said the CJI's office had communicated that the Delhi Police Commissioner had been asked to ensure the lawyers' immediate release: "The authorities had been spoken to for the release of the lawyers." Devvrat had gone to meet the CJI that morning but was told he was travelling. The Bombay Lawyers Association and the Lawyers' Association for Constitution also raised concerns.
CJI intervenes — and the lawyers are released
The deadlock broke after the CJI stepped in personally. Speaking to ANI, the Chief Justice said: "Yes, on my verbal intervention, I believe they have been released. I am out of town." The lawyers walked free from the Yamuna Sports Complex soon after.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta also intervened with top Delhi Police officials, according to LiveLaw and Times Now. The detention of the lawyers came as the capital's protest crackdown continued into its second week — Rahul Gandhi was detained near Jantar Mantar earlier in the week, as police barricades went up across the capital.
Contempt plea over Delhi metro stations shutdown
Separately on Saturday, advocate Shailendra Mani Tripathi filed a contempt petition in the Supreme Court through advocate Chand Qureshi, naming Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar and DMRC Chairperson D Thara. It alleges "willful, deliberate disobedience" of the Court's October 9 order against a complete shutdown of public transport.
Tripathi says he visited the GTB Nagar and Vishwavidyalaya metro stations at around 9:30 pm on October 9 and found their entry gates closed. The plea asks the Court to issue notice to the three officials, require their personal appearance, and order the immediate withdrawal of the blanket restrictions.
Friday's Supreme Court order on transport curbs
The plea flows from an order passed on Friday, October 9, by a bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana. The bench directed the Centre to ensure no "complete prohibition" of metro and train services on October 10, noting authorities could not bring the city to a halt. The bench had taken up the CJP protest row earlier, with the Solicitor General assuring the court the curbs would be reassessed.
Why it matters
Advocates being detained outside the Supreme Court is no routine law-and-order incident — it cuts at the bar-bench relationship the justice system rests on, which is why two national associations moved resolutions within hours. The contempt plea is a separate test of whether the Court's Friday order had any bite: if stations were shut after the Court expressly barred a complete prohibition of services, it raises an uncomfortable question about how the executive treats judicial directions issued on the eve of a protest.
What happens next
The contempt petition will now be listed before the Supreme Court, which must decide whether to issue notice to the Home Secretary, the Police Commissioner and the DMRC Chairperson and summon them in person. Expect the Court to seek the authorities' version of the October 9 night first — and the bar will be watching the next protest closely.
Key Takeaways
- CJI Surya Kant's verbal intervention on October 10 freed lawyers detained by Delhi Police outside the Supreme Court during a peaceful protest demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar's resignation.
- The advocates were taken to the Yamuna Sports Complex and held for nearly two hours; they had planned to march towards Mandi House, detained advocate Shashank Singh said.
- The SCBA and SCAORA passed emergency resolutions addressed to the CJI seeking their release; the SCBA condemned reported excessive force against senior and young advocates, "particularly women advocates".
- The CJI's office told SCAORA president Devvrat the Police Commissioner had been asked to ensure immediate release; Solicitor General Tushar Mehta also intervened with top police officials.
- Advocate Shailendra Mani Tripathi's contempt plea names the Union Home Secretary, the Delhi Police Commissioner and the DMRC Chairperson over the metro shutdown defying the Court's October 9 order.
- Tripathi says he found the GTB Nagar and Vishwavidyalaya metro gates closed at around 9:30 pm on October 9; the plea seeks the officials' personal appearance before the Court.
FAQs
Why were lawyers detained outside the Supreme Court?
The lawyers were staging a peaceful protest outside the Supreme Court on Saturday, demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar's resignation over electoral-roll allegations. Delhi Police detained them before they could march towards Mandi House and held them at the Yamuna Sports Complex for nearly two hours.
What did the SCBA resolution on the advocates' detention say?
The Supreme Court Bar Association passed a resolution addressed to CJI Surya Kant seeking the detained lawyers' immediate release. It condemned reported excessive force against senior and young advocates, "particularly women advocates". President Pradeep Rai later thanked the CJI for his timely intervention.
What was CJI Surya Kant's verbal intervention?
The CJI's office told SCAORA president Devvrat the Delhi Police Commissioner had been asked to ensure the lawyers' immediate release. CJI Surya Kant later confirmed to ANI the release followed his verbal intervention, while noting he was out of town.
What does Shailendra Mani Tripathi's contempt petition allege?
Filed through advocate Chand Qureshi, the petition alleges "willful, deliberate disobedience" of the Supreme Court's October 9 order against a complete shutdown of public transport. It names the Union Home Secretary, the Delhi Police Commissioner and the DMRC Chairperson, and seeks their personal appearance.
What did the Supreme Court order on October 9 about Delhi's metro?
A bench led by CJI Surya Kant directed the Centre to ensure no "complete prohibition" of metro and train services on October 10, noting authorities could not bring the city to a halt. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta assured the bench the protest curbs would be reassessed.
Were journalists also detained during the protests?
Times Now reported that journalists from The Wire, Scroll and Newslaundry were detained while covering the protests and released later. This comes from a single outlet and has not yet been independently confirmed by GlobalDeskNews or the other outlets named.
Sources
Every fact above was verified against October 10, 2026 reporting — The Hindu, LiveLaw, ETV Bharat, Bar & Bench, Times Now and The Economic Times (CJI's remarks via ANI as published by kalingatv). Related on GlobalDeskNews: 2,000 detained as CJP protest turns violent · Supreme Court: reduce Delhi curbs before CJP protest · Supreme Court takes up CJP protest row · Rahul Gandhi detained at Jantar Mantar.