SC denies MNS permission for public meeting at Shivaji Park

The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to allow Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) to hold a public meeting at Shivaji Park in central Mumbai.

Rejecting the permission, a bench headed by Justice HL Dattu said it cannot be done as the area is a declared silent zone.

The party approached the apex court after Bombay High Court turned down its plea to hold the rally in the park on February 13. The MNS had approached the high court through its president of Dadar division, Sandip Deshpande, seeking permission to use loud speakers at the rally.

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had refused to give the party a go-ahead based on an earlier order passed by the court declaring Shivaji Park as a silence zone.

Use of loud speakers is prohibited in a silence zone.

"If permission is granted in one case then we would not be in a position to deny permission if any other political party approaches the court," the high court had said.

The BMC counsel while justifying the permission granted to Shiv Sena earlier to hold its Dusshera rally at Shivaji Park said, "Permissions were granted earlier for cultural and religious events but cannot be granted for meetings prior to elections."