The Delhi High Court will hear Neha Bora's challenge to a police peace bond notice on October 22. Her plea alleges preventive powers were used to curb peaceful dissent.
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Newdelhi,Oct 21, 2026 15:36 IST
The Delhi High Court will on October 22 hear a petition filed by All India Students' Association president Neha Bora challenging a Delhi Police notice asking her to sign a bond to maintain peace before a Special Executive Magistrate, news agency Press Trust of India reported.
Bora, who has been leading protests against alleged irregularities in the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, has sought the cancellation of the notice and directions restraining the police from taking coercive action against her.
Justice Subramonium Prasad deferred the hearing at the request of Bora's counsel. The case was listed after the student leader sought an urgent hearing during the High Court's Dussehra vacation.
The notice, issued on October 17 under Section 126 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, directed Bora to appear before the Special Executive Magistrate on October 19. It asked her to explain why she should not be required to execute a personal bond of Rs 10,000, with one surety, for maintaining peace during the inquiry.
Section 126 allows a Special Executive Magistrate to require such a bond if there is credible information that a person is likely to breach the peace, disturb public order or commit an act that could cause disruption.
According to PTI, Bora was taken into preventive detention on October 16 while she was on her way to join the Cockroach Janata Party's 'Lehra Do Tiranga' march. She was released on October 17.
In her petition, settled by lawyer Abhik Chimni, Bora said the police notice was vague and factually incorrect and did not contain any material to support the claim that she was likely to breach the peace. The plea said the notice did not specify the period, occasion or event during which such a breach was feared.
The petition described the proceedings as a "colourable exercise of preventive powers to suppress peaceful dissent" and alleged violations of Articles 19(1)(a), 19(1)(b) and 21 of the Constitution.
The proceedings before the magistrate are based on allegations that Bora raised slogans at Mandi House on October 16, repeatedly protested around Jantar Mantar despite restrictions under Section 163 of the BNSS, and instigated people to join a protest at Connaught Place that day.
"The Impugned Notice rests on a prima facie incorrect fact, namely that the Petitioner instigated people to participate in the demonstration at Central Park, Connaught Place on 16.10.2026. The Petitioner's call and the incident alleged were different. The Petitioner called for a peaceful gathering at Mandi House at 5:00 PM on 16.10.2026, and it is a matter of record that she was detained from Mandi House," the petition said.
It added: "That the alleged disregard of 'prohibitory orders 163 BNSS' in the Notice does not identify any specific prohibitory order and incident. In fact the only order on record dated 23.08.2026 does not extend to Mandi House and exempts Jantar Mantar Road."
The High Court is now scheduled to hear Bora's challenge to the police notice on October 22, including her claim that the proceedings lack specific grounds and are aimed at curbing peaceful protest.
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