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DMRC Apologizes After Supreme Court Contempt Notice Over Metro Restrictions

By Drooid · Oct 14, 2026, 4:15 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

DMRC Defends Operations

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation told the Supreme Court it kept services running on October 10 despite protests.
Entry and exit were restricted at 45 of its 303 stations, about 15 % of the network.
Ridership fell to roughly 32 lakh passengers, compared with about 58 lakh on a typical second Saturday.
DMRC filed an affidavit apologizing and seeking discharge from contempt proceedings after the court’s October 9 order.

Summary

Justices Issue Contempt

Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohana issued contempt notices to Govind Mohan, Anurag Kumar, D. Thara, October 11, 2026.
Court ordered Govind Mohan, Anurag Kumar and D. Thara to file affidavits and compliance reports by October 13, 2026.
Advocate Shailendra Mani Tripathi filed a contempt petition alleging wilful disobedience of the October 9 order.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the bench authorities would reassess restrictions and issue traffic advisories.

History

Historical Context

The 1976 amendment to India’s Contempt of Courts Act, passed under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, raised the maximum fine to INR2,000. Justice A. N. Ray and Law Minister H. R. Bhardwaj cited 1,200 contempt filings that year as evidence of escalating judicial defiance across ministries. In October 2026, the Supreme Court, via Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana, issued contempt notices to DMRC and Govind Mohan, Anurag Kumar, and D. Thara. The recurrence signals that reinforced contempt powers continue to compel institutional compliance, prompting future courts to scrutinize executive actions more rigorously.

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DMRC Defends Operations

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation told the Supreme Court it kept services running on October 10 despite protests.
Entry and exit were restricted at 45 of its 303 stations, about 15 % of the network.
Ridership fell to roughly 32 lakh passengers, compared with about 58 lakh on a typical second Saturday.
DMRC filed an affidavit apologizing and seeking discharge from contempt proceedings after the court’s October 9 order.

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