The Special Executive Magistrate granted Neha Bora until October 29 to respond to a notice compelling her to execute a ₹10,000 peace bond. This move follows allegations that she breached peace during protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Bora, the national president of the All India Students' Association (AISA), has already dug in her heels.
Bora stated at a press conference that she would not sign the bond, labeling such provisions as tools used to "stifle the right to democratic dissent." She argued that raising slogans and questioning institutions do not constitute a breach of peace. "Peace cannot be only for the government, but also for the people," she said, insisting AISA will not normalize the use of peace bonds to curb peaceful protest.
The legal battle intensified after the Delhi High Court rejected Bora's plea to quash the notice outright. However, the court issued specific directions to the magistrate. The SEM must now furnish all relevant police material, general diary entries, and case documents to Bora’s lawyers to ensure transparency. This disclosure was a key condition for proceeding with the enquiry.
The court also ordered the magistrate to evaluate the timing of the bond. The SEM must decide whether a personal peace bond is genuinely required at the start of the enquiry or if it should only be enforced if an actual threat to peace arises later. Bora’s lawyers are preparing a detailed response for submission by the October 29 deadline, aiming to challenge the constitutional validity of the notice itself.