Delhi High Court rejects Neha Bora’s peace bond challenge

The Delhi High Court on October 23 dismissed All India Students Association president Neha Bora’s petition challenging a notice seeking a Rs 10,000 personal bond and one surety to maintain peace during an inquiry. The court did not quash the preventive proceedings, but directed the Special Executive Magistrate to provide Bora with the material relied upon and consider when the bond could be required under the law. Justice Subramonium Prasad said the magistrate must consider the scope of Section 135 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), including whether a bond should be furnished at the outset or whether that question should be addressed during the inquiry if further incidents indicate a risk to peace. The court left that decision to the magistrate while directing that Bora receive the relevant material before an order is passed. The notice, issued on October 17 under Sections 126 and 130 read with Section 135 of the BNSS, followed Bora’s preventive detention at Mandi House on October 16. It cited alleged sloganeering there, repeated protests near Jantar Mantar despite prohibitory orders, and an allegation that she instigated people to join a protest in Connaught...