CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court on Wednesday declined to grant interim relief to the Backward and Minority Communities Employees Federation (BAMCEF) and Bharata Mukti Morcha (BMM), on their petition challenging the revocation of permission for their 42nd national conference in Cuttack.
The conference, expected to draw over one lakh delegates from across the country, was scheduled to be held from December 26 to 30 at the Balijatra ground.
A single judge bench of Justice BP Routray refused to stay the December 21 order of the collector-cum-district magistrate, Cuttack, cancelling the provisional no objection certificate earlier granted for the event.
Justice Routray observed that he was not inclined to grant interim relief at this stage. He noted that granting such relief would effectively amount to allowing the main prayer in the writ petition, which is impermissible at the interim stage. The court issued notice to the opposite parties and posted the matter for January 6 for further hearing.
Senior advocate SD Das, appearing for the petitioners, argued that the apprehensions raised by the district administration regarding disturbance of communal peace were unfounded. He submitted that there had been no action or conduct on the part of BAMCEF that could justify cancellation of permission and sought an interim stay of the impugned order.
Citing a viral video clip allegedly circulated on behalf of the petitioners’ organisation, the state submitted that it contained provocative content capable of disturbing communal harmony.
Based on this, the authorities issued a show cause notice. While replying to the notice, the petitioners did not disown the video but claimed it did not contain any provocative or communally sensitive material.