Mon Nov 24 03:28:51 UTC 2025: Summary:

The Supreme Court is set to hear a plea filed by the wife of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, challenging his detention under the National Security Act (NSA). Wangchuk was detained in late September after protests in Ladakh demanding Statehood and Sixth Schedule status turned violent. The petition argues his detention is illegal and violates his fundamental rights. The Leh Apex Body (LAB) has also submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Home Affairs seeking the release of Wangchuk and other detained locals. The core legal question is whether Wangchuk’s actions genuinely threatened “public order” or simply “law and order.”

News Article:

Supreme Court to Hear Plea Challenging Detention of Climate Activist Sonam Wangchuk

New Delhi – November 24, 2025 – The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a crucial plea today regarding the detention of prominent climate activist Sonam Wangchuk under the stringent National Security Act (NSA). Wangchuk was detained on September 26, 2025, following violent protests in Ladakh advocating for Statehood and Sixth Schedule status for the region. The protests resulted in casualties and injuries.

The plea, filed by Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali J. Angmo, argues that his detention is unlawful and a violation of his fundamental rights. The court had previously sought responses from the central government and the Ladakh administration.

Meanwhile, the Leh Apex Body (LAB), an umbrella organization of social, political, and religious groups in Ladakh, submitted a 29-page proposal to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on November 17, requesting the release of Wangchuk and other detained Ladakh residents.

Legal experts suggest the central question is whether the authorities properly assessed whether Wangchuk’s actions posed a legitimate threat to public order, a key requirement for invoking the NSA.

The case, before a bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N V Anjaria, is being closely watched as it raises concerns about freedom of expression and the use of national security laws in response to political dissent.

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