KOCHI: If ‘mobocracy’ is permitted, that will be the beginning of the end of our democratic system and rule of law, the Kerala High Court has observed.
It was hearing a petition filed by the president of Kizhakkambalam panchayat seeking police protection to remove illegal encroachments at the bus stand and prevent the entry of buses into the stand at Kizhakkambalam junction till the work of the facility is completed and opened to the general public.
The petitioner alleged that the panchayat faces obstruction from political parties and their associates for every developmental work it undertakes. A former panchayat president and some political leaders trespassed into the bus stand removing the barricades and buses were directed to access the bus stand. They also forcibly erected a temporary waiting shed without permission, the petitioner said.
“Those powers who try to take over the administration of a panchayat today may even try to take over the state and Union administration tomorrow. It indeed is a threat to our democratic polity and republic. Police authorities shall not remain mute spectators when such vandalism is unleashed. The police have to handle such situations with iron fist and enforce rule of law,” said Justice N Nagaresh.
The HC said that when a duly elected panchayat committee decides to discharge their statutory functions and public duty, the action of the panchayat cannot be permitted to be defeated by physical force. It noted that certain persons have installed their own bus shed in a public place, removed public signboards and reinstalled the same at places they desire. They have dared even to divert traffic, which is essentially the function of the local self-government institution and the motor vehicle department, it said.
The mob force, in fact, has effectively taken over administration of a public place and even regulation of traffic illegally. “Such act of mobocracy and vandalism cannot be ignored,” the court said.
The judge also directed police to provide protection to the panchayat, its officials, representatives, contractors, workers and suppliers to complete the modernisation work of the bus stand.