New Delhi, Feb 8 (IANS): A petition has been filed in the Delhi High Court challenging the police bid to turn Jangli Ram Pahalwan Stadium in the city into a "temporary jail" for anti-CAA protesters on Delhi Assembly election day on Saturday.

The petition claimed that the stadium will become a facility for protesters detained en masse without a reasonable basis.

Terming it "alarming in a democracy that the protesters are agitating against a policy decision of framework of citizenship to be granted to foreigners under Citizenship Amendment Act 2019 which is ex facie discriminatory and designed to facilitate certain religious communities while excluding others", it opposed the police move, calling it an attack at the "very root of democracy".

The petitioner has demanded that the requisition be turned down by the court.A

Arguing that it is also election day in Delhi, this may adversely affect the citizens right to vote, the petitioner also termed such jails "arbitrary".

Delhi Police wants to turn the stadium into a prison to lock down protesters on the polling day -- February 8. This is in view of simmering anger against the CAA, in the national capital.