HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court on Friday granted permission to the BJP to conduct a public meeting at the University Arts and Science College in Hanamkonda on Saturday, to mark the completion of the third phase of Praja Sangrama Yatra by of the party’s state unit president Bandi Sanjay.
Justice Tadakamalla Vinod Kumar directed the Warangal police and college principal to allow the petitioner to hold the meeting.
However, the judge directed the meeting organisers to give an undertaking that they would not violate the conditions imposed by the authorities. The court also directed the participants, speakers and organisers not to make any provocative speeches.
Justice Vinod Kumar made it clear that there shall not be any hindrance to the movement of ambulances and other vehicles as the meeting would be held in the centre of the city.
They should inform the police how many participants would be attending and the parking arrangement should be made far away from the venue.
As the principal of the college had denied permission on the ground that police officials had prohibited gatherings and assemblies for one week in the jurisdiction of the Warangal commissionerate, the BJP approached the High Court on Friday with an urgent petition as the meeting is scheduled on Saturday.
While allowing the BJP to hold the meeting, Justice Vinod Kumar faulted the Telangana police for using different yardsticks in giving permissions to different people on different occasions for conducting public meetings, rallies or other activities.
Justice Vinod Kumar observed, “Prima facie, it appears that the police commissioner of Warangal, who is under the control of the DGP of Telangana, has been adopting delay tactics in dealing the application for permission of this meeting. When the application for meeting permission was submitted by the organisers 10 days ago, at the last moment just 24 hours before the scheduled meeting (Friday), the Warangal police rejected the application and issued a notification prohibiting meetings and assemblies in its jurisdiction. This is clear evidence to say delay tactics.”
Justice Kumar did not agree with the arguments of Advocate-General B.S. Prasad, who brought to the notice of the court that three months ago, a Telangana High Court bench led by Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy, in the case regarding Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s students meeting in Osmania University, had observed that the premises of universities and educational institutions shall not be the grounds for political meetings and their activities. Citing this judgment, the Advocate-General said the executive council of the university had the authority to give permission.
The judge stated that the bench had already issued orders in cases of anti- CAA protests and condolence meetings on Maoists encounters, that the state should formulate uniform guidelines in granting police permissions to public meetings and gatherings, instead of granting permission as per their whims and fancies.
