The Calcutta High Court has recently granted permission to the Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) to hold a rally from Hastings to Kidderpore today, setting aside the denial of permission by Kolkata police.
A single bench of Justice Rajshekhar Mantha directed the rally’s organizers to conduct it peacefully, and the police to make appropriate arrangements and deployment to ensure everyone’s safety.
The bench also ordered the petitioner to avoid littering during the rally and to keep a safe distance from other events in the area. The police have been told to keep at least 100 meters between the BJYM rally and another event hosted by the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad.
Officers have been instructed to ensure that there is at least a 100-meter distance between the two programs. They will also construct a strong and protective barrier between the two sides.
The BJYM rally was initially denied permission by the Kolkata police, citing concerns about the route and the fact that the group’s application was not in the “officially prescribed format.” The BJYM then filed a petition in the prescribed format, and the police informed them that the NOC could not be granted due to a cultural event organized by the TMC at the Kidderpore crossing.
The bench has now requested that the state respondents file a formal affidavit detailing their position in greater detail. This includes whether there is an online process for receiving applications for public functions, whether a register for such applications is maintained, and whether the register is accessible to the public online. The respondents have also been asked to include any additional details or particulars in the affidavit.
The BJYM rally will go ahead as planned as a result of the court’s decision.
