BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court directed the state government and the authorities concerned to implement Licensing and Regulation of Protests, Demonstrations and Protest Marches (Bengaluru City) Order, 2021, and continue to take action against persons committing violations. The order, framed under Section 31 (4) Karnataka Police Act 1963, allows protests, demonstrations and marches only at Freedom Park and not in other parts of the city to avoid inconvenience to citizens.
With these directions, a division bench of acting Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice S Vishwajith Shetty disposed of the suo moto litigation initiated based on a letter written to the chief justice by a sitting judge of the high court after a dharna held on March 2, 2021, in the heart of the city made traffic stand still, and leading to inconvenience to citizens.
The state government has also given an undertaking before the court that the protest marches and dharnas will only be permitted at Freedom Park and that the government is under an obligation to ensure the provisions of the order.
In pursuance of the directions issued by the court after the suo moto registration of the petition, the state has framed Licensing and Regulation of Protests, Demonstrations and Protest Marches (Bengaluru City) Order, 2021 in the exercise of powers under section 31 (4) Karnataka Police Act 1963. Placing it before the court, the state government informed that action will be taken against any person found to be violating the provisions of the order.