BENGALURU: Observing that not issuing final notification pertaining to licencing and controlling of assemblies and processions in city is contemptuous, the Karnataka High Court on Thursday granted the state government time until July 26 to submit its response on the issue.
The division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice H T Narendra Prasad asked the government advocate to get instructions after hearing the public interest litigation petition filed by city-based advocate A V Amarnathan, who sought directions to the state government to take appropriate steps to prevent protests and rallies within city limits.
He filed the petition contending that although the draft notification was issued in 2008 itself, final notification was yet to be issued by the state government on licensing and controlling of assemblies and processions within city limits.
Amarnathan contended that the non-issuance of final notification to control rallies was leading to traffic jams and inconvenience to the general public.
According to the petition, the court passed the judgement in 2011 to issue a final order within three months, but it was not yet issued.
“The negligence of the authorities is illegal and arbitrary. They are duty-bound to protect the interests of the public.”