Padayatra to continue with set conditions, rules Andhra Pradesh High Court
VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Tuesday dismissed the interlocutory application (IA) filed by Amaravati Parirakshana Samithi (APS) on behalf of farmers seeking relaxations in the curbs imposed on the Maha Padayatra from Amaravati to Arasavalli. The farmers had taken up the walkathon demanding the State government to retain Amaravati as the sole capital.
An IA filed by the Director General of Police (DGP), urging the high court to cancel permission given for the Maha Padayatra as the court’s conditions to take out the walkathon were violated, was also dismissed.
Counsels representing APS— U Muralidhar Rao and P Vekateswaralu—sought permission for those extending solidarity to participate in the yatra and for participation on a rotation basis.
They accused the police and ruling party functionaries of harassing the participants and obstructing them from conducting the rally. Advocate General S Sriram argued that TDP functionaries were participating in the rally, leading to the congregation of thousands of people. He also informed the court of the provocative speeches at Gudivada in Krishna district.
In his verdict, Justice R Raghunandan Rao told the Amaravati farmers that there will be no change in the earlier orders and that the walkathon has to be held as per the conditions mentioned while giving permission for it.
The court ruled that not more than 600 people will be allowed to take part in the padayatra, while those expressing solidarity can only stand along the road. It said that only participants who have an ID card, issued by the DGP, or whose names have been submitted will be allowed to take part in it.
The police department was directed to issue identity cards to those who have not taken them yet and set up counters for the same. The participants were directed to refrain from making any provocative speeches and disrupting law and order. The court said the DGP is at liberty to approach the HC for cancellation of permission for the rally if any of the set rules were violated.