National

Notice to U.P., Centre on rallies

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to the Union government and Uttar Pradesh on a public interest litigation petition seeking a direction to restrain the authorities from organising rallies/processions and involving the State machinery and police for private ends.

A three-Judge Bench, comprising Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Justices R.V. Raveendran and J.M. Panchal, issued the notice on the petition filed by senior journalist G.D. Goyal of Bihar complaining of use of official machinery by Railway Minister Lalu Prasad for a rally in Patna on October 28.

The Bench, while asking the petitioner to delete the names of Mr. Prasad and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati from the list of respondents, permitted him to implead all States as parties.

The petitioner, who argued in person, said crores of rupees were spent on organising rallies and political processions. In the process, roads witnessed traffic jams and caused hardship to people.

Mr. Goyal said that on October 28, Mr. Prasad, as leader of the Rashtriya Janata Dal, organised the “chetavani rally” in Patna, for which the entire railway machinery was used. The Railways operated 25 to 35 special trains and diverted 57 trains to Patna for the purpose. Even those who had confirmed reservation were denied seats or berths and the authorities and police remained mute spectators.

Similarly, Ms. Mayawati organised a rally in Lucknow on the birth anniversary of the late Kanshi Ram and that created total chaos. The petitioner said the manner in which rallies were organised by political parties and private groups showed that money was being wasted for show of strength.

The court was urged to direct rally organisers to pay for the inconvenience caused to people and to lay down guidelines and parameters for organising rallies.

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