HC permits to education society to hold function in silence zone

The Bombay High Court has given permission to the Indian Education Society (IES) to celebrate its centennial year celebrations at the Raja Shivaji Vidhyasankul in Matunga, which falls under the silence zone area. The programme, which president Pratibha Patil is likely to attend, will be held on March 13. A division bench of chief justice Mohit Shah and justice Ranjit More also directed the state government to file a reply regarding the traffic arrangements it would be making in the area during the president’s visit.

The IES had moved court after the Matunga police had refused to permit loudspeakers in the school premises during the function. The police’s rationale was that the school was located in a silence zone, and as per norms permission to hold public functions couldn’t be given.

The petition filed by the Society stated that the function would be held inside the school premises, thus a non-violation of noise rules. It also pointed out that within the 100-metre radius, as per the rules, there was only one BMC school operational, and the petitioners had taken a no-objection certificate from them.

Further, the society argued, the expected footfall at the function would be more than 4,000 people, and managing such a big crowd would not be possible without the use of loudspeakers. The petitioners assured the court that it would take the necessary precautions and follow the rules as required.

The court finally accepted the arguments put forth by the Society and granted them permission to hold the function, only because it was an educational institution.