BENGALURU: Observing that there is no question of granting permission to take out a procession in the city, considering traffic hindrance to the public, the Karnataka High Court on Thursday declined to grant permission for trade unions to carry out a procession from the City Railway Station to Freedom Park, and Town Hall to Freedom Park on May Day in Bengaluru.
A vacation division bench of Justice R Devdas and Justice KS Hemalekha passed the order, while disposing of the impleading applications filed by the All India Trade Union Congress and others, seeking permission for the May 1 procession.
Considering the cascading effect on day-to-day activities in the city, including traffic, the court had on March 3, 2022 directed the State government to ensure that no protests, processions are held in the city except at Freedom Park, by political or non-political organisations. It also said that such processions, protests and marches are held in an organised manner and traffic is not adversely affected, especially during rush hour.
The court also directed that no activity which disrupts traffic shall be permitted to be carried out, and in case any such activity is held, appropriate action should be taken and the responsibility fixed on agencies meant for providing proper traffic regulations.
Citing modification of this order by the court to allow ‘Karaga’ procession, counsels of the applicants submitted that the court may grant permission or issue directions to the jurisdictional police to permit the applicant-unions and their members to take out the peaceful procession and hold a meeting at Freedom Park. However, the court said that the procession sought to be carried out cannot be compared with Karaga procession. If the members of the applicants walk on footpath to the Freedom Park, there is no need for them to seek permission but they cannot take out procession, the court added.