Adjoining dists, states should not be affected by protests: HC

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 13

Just about two day before a “large number of people” from different parts of Punjab were expected to assemble in Mohali district before proceeding to Chandigarh for staging a dharna against abrogation of Articles 370 and 35-A of the Constitution, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today asked the authorities concerned to ensure restriction of the dharna to the district alone. The Bench made it clear that the adjoining districts and states should not be affected by it.

As the case came up for resumed hearing, the Bench was told that none of the protesting unions had so far sought permission even though the same was mandatory for dharna or demonstration on the permitted site.

The Bench, during the course of hearing, was also told that only three unions had been mentioned in the petition, while intelligent reports suggested about 15 unions were planning to protest.

The Bench, in turn, made it clear that the law and order situation could not be allowed to be affected, no matter how many unions were protesting. The Bench, in fact, asserted that public property and common man should not be affected by the protests. Before parting with the case, the Bench gave Punjab time till September 20 to furnish status report.

The Division Bench of Chief Justice Krishna Murari and Justice Arun Palli had earlier asked the Punjab DGP and the Mohali SSP to extend all possible help in taking appropriate steps to prevent creation of law and order situation. The two officers were asked to do so in consultation with the UT Director General of Police.

“The respondent-authorities shall also take all such requisite adequate steps to ensure that no damage is caused to any public property or life and liberty of any of the citizens is put in jeopardy,” the Bench had added.

The directions came on a petition filed by Rajpreet Singh against the state of Punjab and other respondents. The Bench, among other things, was told that more than 20,000 people were expected to assemble before moving in a procession from Mohali to Chandigarh. The petitioner’s counsel, Amit Kumar, added it might create law and order problem and loss to the life and liberty of the public at large.