Ban on public meetings, rallies on roads: SC to hear Andhra Pradesh's plea against HC order

The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it will hear on January 19 the plea of the Andhra Pradesh government challenging the high court's recent directive suspending the operation of a government order that prohibited public meetings and rallies on roads, including national highways.

A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha agreed to hear the Andhra Pradesh government’s petition on Thursday after the standing counsel for the state sought an urgent hearing.

On January 12, the Andhra Pradesh High Court had suspended till January 23 the operation of the government order (GO) that barred public meetings and rallies on state roads and national highways.

"Court is prima facie of the opinion that the impugned GO No.1 is contrary to the procedure provided under Section 30 of the Police Act, 1861," it had held.

The high court had passed the interim order on a writ petition filed by CPI state secretary K Ramakrishna challenging the GO and posted the case for further hearing on January 20. It had sought the state government’s response before that date.

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The petitioner has contended before the high court that the GO was brought to "stifle" the opposition's voice against the government.

The Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy government had issued the order on January 2 midnight in the wake of a stampede at a rally organised by the main opposition Telugu Desam Party at Kandukuru on December 28 last year in which eight people were killed.

The prohibitory order (GO No. 1) was issued under the provisions of the Police Act, 1861 and the state police immediately started implementing it.