Delhi court upholds criminal charges against Alka Lamba

A Delhi court on Friday upheld the framing of criminal charges against Congress leader Alka Lamba in connection with an alleged assault on police during a women’s reservation protest at Jantar Mantar in March 2024. Additional Sessions Judge Dig Vinay Singh of the Rouse Avenue Courts said there was no illegality or error in Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Ashwani Panwar’s December 2025 order.

The magistrate framed charges against Ms. Lamba on December 19, 2025, for offences relating to assault on public servants, obstruction of government officials in the discharge of their duties, and disobedience of a lawful order. Ms. Lamba and several others had staged a protest at Jantar Mantar for the implementation of women’s reservation in Parliament ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

During the hearing, the prosecution submitted that the protest was organised despite prohibitory orders being in force in the area around Jantar Mantar Road. It also noted that the authorities had denied permission to march towards Parliament. According to the prosecution, the accused and other protesters allegedly pushed both female and male police personnel, jumped over barricades, blocked a road and obstructed the public’s right of way.

The court noted that charges had been framed after Ms. Lamba was found performing the acts cited in the FIR. The observation was based on purported video footage of the protest site that was played in court by the police.