The Pune police informed the Bombay High Court on Tuesday that All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen [AIMIM] has been granted permission to carry out a procession on December 24 to commemorate the Constitution Day and celebrate the birth anniversaries of Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad and Tipu Sultan in Baramati.
It comes after the AIMIM’s Pune city president, Faiyaz Shaikh, moved the High Court against the denial of permission for the rally.
Accepting the police’s statement, a Division Bench of Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Prithviraj Chavan refused to quash a notice stating that the procession should not stop near any religious place, specifically a temple.
However, the Bench criticised the State police for citing the denial of the law and order situation. “What is this law-and-order situation that may arise in every case? You [the police] are anticipating something, you take a call. It is your domain you look after that and ensure no untoward incident happens during an event,” the Bench noted.
Representing the petitioner, advocate Tapan Thatte submitted to the High Court that even though the police had granted permission to take out the rally, his client was compelled to seek permission from the Municipal Council of Baramati to display banners and arches.
The Bench noted, “If the law mandates that a particular permission is mandated for any such processions, it needs to be followed. We cannot make an exception.”
Last week, the High Court had questioned the denial of permission for the rally, which was earlier scheduled for November 26.
Tipu Sultan was the 18th-century ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore. Azad was the first Education Minister of independent India.
Published – December 18, 2024 01:19 am IST
