Doctrine of sovereign immunity does not apply to cases of fundamental rights violation and hence cannot be used as a defence in public law. A distinguishing feature of any democracy is the space offered for legitimate dissent, said the Court. Supreme Court of India Today has held that the right to peaceful protest is a fundamental right guaranteed in the Constitution and the aforesaid right is subject to reasonable restrictions in the interest of the sovereignty and integrity of India, as well as public order A two Judge Bench comprising Justices A.K.Sikri and R.K.Agrawal was hearing a writ petition filed by the petitioners who are migrants of the State of Jammu & Kashmir. The allegation in the Petition was that they had planned to take out a peaceful protest march up to Delhi for ventilating their grievances. However, when they reached near Katra in Jammu & Kashmir, the authorities through their police personnel had beaten up and manhandled these migrants in a most brutal and ...