The Supreme Court on Friday issued notices to the Centre and states on a PIL seeking direction to implement and comply with the guidelines laid down by the apex court on bandhs and hartals.
A Bench comprising Justice P Sathasivam and Justice J S Khehar asked the respondents to give their replies within eight weeks and also file reports on the steps taken to implement the guidelines to prevent destruction of public and private property during bandhs and hartals. Senior counsel M N Krishnamani, appearing for the petitioner, quoted certain instances that occurred during the bandhs and hartals in Kerala.
He said that the petitioner himself had borne the brunt of hartal by political parties in Kerala on May 23, 2012, when he spent 10 more hours than usual on the road to reach his house from a hospital, following an eye surgery. The Bench said, “We will examine this, but the fact remains you have only highlighted the instances from Kerala.”