Delhi HC to hear on Neha Bora’s plea against ‘peace’ bond on October 22

The Delhi High Court said it would hear on Thursday (October 22, 2026) a plea by All India Students’ Association (AISA) president Neha Bora challenging a Delhi Police notice asking her to execute a “peace” bond before a Special Executive Magistrate.

Neha has sought the quashing of the notice and directions to the police not to take any coercive action in the case.

Justice Subramonium Prasad deferred the hearing at the request of Neha’s counsel.

The notice, issued on October 17 under Section 126 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), asked the AISA president to appear before the magistrate on October 19 and show cause why she should not execute a personal bond of ₹10,000 with one surety to maintain peace during the period of inquiry.

Neha was taken into preventive detention on October 16 while on her way to join the Cockroach Janata Party’s ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ march. She was released on October 17.

In her petition, Neha has argued that the police notice is vague, factually incorrect and does not provide any material to substantiate the likelihood of a breach of peace.

The notice does not specify any “period, occasion or event in relation to which breach is apprehended”, the plea argued. It further contended that the proceedings amounted to a “colourable exercise of preventive powers to suppress peaceful dissent, in violation of Articles 19(1)(a), 19(1)(b) and 21 of the Constitution”.

The proceedings before the SEM stem from allegations of sloganeering at Mandi House on October 16, repeated protests around Jantar Mantar despite prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS, and instigating people to participate in a protest at Connaught Place on the same 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 October 16, 2026,” the petition said.

It also argued that the notice’s reference to the alleged disregard of “prohibitory orders 163 BNSS” did not identify any specific prohibitory order or incident. The only order on record, dated August 23, 2026, did not extend to Mandi House and exempted Jantar Mantar Road, it added.