Parties rally against govt order on rallies

The Bangalore City Police Commissioner notified a new order to control public assembly and processions in the poll season. This has stirred a hornet’s nest, with political parties claiming this is another ruse by the ruling BJP to curtail protests against its failures.

The Licensing and Controlling of Assemblies and Processions Order states that processions or assemblies will not be allowed in Bangalore city unless a license is first obtained. Applications for the grant of licence should be made at least seven days prior to the planned event. Details of the route, the number of persons participating and the availability of parking space for vehicles of participants are all sought in the application.
Defending the notification, police commissioner Shankar Bidari told DNA that the order would not create any problem during the elections in Karnataka. It would come into force only after the public and political parties offer their feedback and report any objections, for which they have been granted the next 15 days.

However, political parties are not convinced. Reacting strongly to the notification, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president RV Deshpande said, “It is nothing but part of the BJP’s strategy to shield itself from protests. The Police Commissioner is acting according to the diktat of the government. The timing of the notification, now that campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls is intensifying, gives rise to suspicion. This is no way to handle the law and order situation. There should not be any curb on peaceful protest. The Congress will strongly oppose the notification.”

Home Minister VS Acharya, speaking to DNA, said there was no fault in the notification: It had been issued following the assurance given by the state government to the High Court that public rallies and processions in future would be regulated to
ensure that the public is not inconvenienced.

“With the election code of conduct in force, even the police commissioner will function under the supervision of the Election Commission,” he added.

Rejecting Acharya’s claims, JD(S) state president HD Kumaraswamy described the move as being worse than the regulations imposed on public rallies during the Emergency: “This is autocratic and draconian. It infringes the democratic rights of people and political parties.  It is ridiculous to expect us to file an application for staging a protest seven days in advance. In a democracy, circumstances arise when we have to register protest immediately. Even the British had not imposed such curbs. This is clearly a strategy to stifle political dissent and prevent protests against the BJP government.”

What does the notification say?

Application for processions and public assemblies have to be made either to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (if the procession is intended to move through one zone) or the Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) if more than one zone are involved. The application has to be filed seven days in advance.

Details of the routes and time, number and type of vehicles, number of participants, reason for the procession or assembly, and rules to be followed to maintain discipline and code of conduct will be verified and discussed.

An inspection of the site of the assembly or the route of the procession will be carried out before issuing a license.

Record will be made of the statement of the applicant before granting or refusing the license.  The licence will either be granted or refused based on public interest, status and antecedents of applicant, availability of parking space, law and order problems; also, whether such gatherings are likely to create communal problems. If licence is not granted, the applicant will be informed through an order stating the reasons.