MUMBAI: Bombay high court on Wednesday issued a notice to Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange, but passed no urgent orders to prevent him from entering Mumbai with his supporters and state said it would take steps to maintain law and order and ensure commuters are not inconvenienced by protest.A division bench of Justices A S Gadkari and S C Chandak recorded AG Birendra Saraf’s statement that “state will take all necessary measures to prevent blockage of public way which may cause inconvenience to commuters”. The order was passed on a petition by advocate Gunratan Sadavarte which sought HC to restrain Jarange’s entry to Mumbai, saying it might cause law and order problems as thousands are expected to gather.
Saraf also said that if necessary State may allot “appropriate designated place(s) to (Patil) for conducting peaceful agitation” Sadavarte had filed two petitions including a criminal writ petition in which Jarange Patil was named as a respondent. He was not represented by any lawyer on Wednesday hence court issued him a notice and posted matter on Feb 14.
The AG said state is equally concerned about the situation, and though it doesn’t oppose anyone’s right to assemble or protest, it cannot be permitted to result in a law and order situation. State has not received a proper application seeking permission to hold the protest, said Saraf, adding that Supreme Court (SC) has also held that the right to protest is subject to restrictions. Protests cannot be at an undesignated area or in a manner that blocks public way, he added.
HC recorded Saraf’s statement that state will take steps to maintain law and order and enforce SC directions in the Shaheen Baug case — the right to protest must be balanced with the public’s right to movement. Saraf further said state would “adopt necessary measures to avoid breach of public peace”.