SC dismisses Raj Thackeray’s Shivaji Park rally plea

Rejecting a plea by the Maharashtra Navnirmam Sena (MNS) to hold a rally at Shivaji Park, the Supreme Court said “the area is a declared silence zone which has a large number of tridents”.

On Thursday, the SC bench refused to hear the petition saying: “If we allow you, it will open the floodgates. The right of the citizen is supreme as the area is demarcated as a silent zone.”

The MNS had challenged the Bombay high court’s order not to allow the party chief Raj Thackeray’s rally at the park as it is a silence zone.

The MNS had sought permission to use loud speakers at the election rally to be held on February 13 at the park. The use of loud speakers is prohibited in a silence zone.

The MNS, in its plea, urged that the “availability of open grounds for election rallies is a serious issue. If grounds are not made available, then there is no option other than taking auditoriums on rent. The halls charge hefty rates,” the petition states.