However, the Manch members, under the presidentship of Harjinder Kaur, staged a protest demonstration earlier in the day. Various other Sikh organisations had also continued with their protest today.

In a statement issued to the press, Harjinder Kaur said the decision to suspend the agitation was followed by the UT IGP S.K. Singh's assurance "that no Sikh woman will be challaned from tomorrow. Masses will only be guided about safety rules." However, Singh, on being contacted, denied having given any such assurance.

Earlier, members of these organisations took out a protest march in the city, with women driving two-wheelers and riding pillion without helmets and later demonstrated against the "black law" outside the Deputy Commissioner's office and also near the Chandigarh Housing Board roundabout.

Meanwhile, the police today continued to cordon Sector 24, which houses a few judges, to prevent the protesters from entering the sector and demonstrating there. The president of the local unit of SAD, Gurpartap Singh Riar, said the agitation would continue till the "black law" is withdrawn.

Members of the Khalsa Conference have criticised the decision. Khalsa Conference spokesperson, Gurnam Singh Sidhu, in a statement, said: "The Sikhs have laid down their lives for the cause of the nation since the Mughal era. They should be allowed to live as per their own tenets".

Dharam Pal Gupta, president of the local unit of Bharatiya Janata Party, in a statement, has asked the administration to review its decision and exempt women, especially the Sikh women, from wearing helmets.