All India Students' Association (AISA) national president Neha Bora stated on Saturday that she will refuse to sign a peace bond before a special executive magistrate. The announcement comes a day after the Delhi High Court dismissed her plea challenging a police notice that directed her to furnish a personal bond of ₹10,000 with one surety.
The police notice was issued on October 17 under Section 126 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). It required the student leader to appear before a special executive magistrate on October 19 and show cause regarding why she should not execute the personal bond "for keeping peace for a period of inquiry."
Speaking at a press conference at the CPI(ML) Liberation Parliamentary office, Bora questioned the rationale and intent behind the notice. She asserted that demonstrating peacefully on the streets is a democratic right and questioned how raising concerns against the government could be interpreted as a threat to public peace.
"If we do not ask the government any questions, whose peace are we keeping?" Bora asked, emphasizing that the right to question those in power and express dissent remains fundamental to a democratic framework. She further stated that the ongoing efforts must not compromise the right to dissent by labeling it a threat to peace.
The police notice was served on October 17, following Bora's detention a day earlier while participating in the 'Lehra Do Tiranga' march in New Delhi. The demonstration was part of protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Bora had previously challenged the police notice in the Delhi High Court, characterizing the preventive proceedings as an effort to suppress peaceful dissent. She argued that the notice failed to adequately establish any actual likelihood of a breach of peace, maintaining that peaceful protests and democratic opposition should not be treated as violations of public order.
"Regulatory compliance and legal frameworks govern both corporate entities and public demonstrations alike. When individuals or organizations face legal directives or administrative notices, navigating the judicial system is the standard recourse, as demonstrated by the recent court proceedings. In any operating environment, understanding statutory provisions and compliance requirements is essential for managing institutional risk and operational continuity." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes
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