The national capital witnessed unprecedented scenes recently when around 150 Delhi Police personnel protested outside the force’s headquarters against the transfer of two officers following an alleged scuffle with lawyers in Shahdara. Bound by strict service rules, police officers do not enjoy the right to protest like ordinary citizens and are generally barred from demonstrations over service-related grievances.

However, the latest agitation raises several critical questions—the most pertinent being whether police officers have the legal right to protest .…