Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
The Supreme Court on Thursday sought responses from the Centre, Delhi Police and others on a plea seeking to hold organisers of protests responsible for any loss of life, injuries and damage to public or private property, news agency Press Trust of India reported.
The petition also sought a direction that no protest, dharna, demonstration, procession or public assembly be held in Delhi without prior written permission from the competent authority.
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A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi issued notices to the Centre, Delhi Police and other parties, seeking their responses to the plea.
According to PTI, the petition sought a declaration that those who organise, call for, lead or convene any protest without prior permission, or breach the conditions of such permission, may be held “personally and/or jointly and severally liable for loss of life, injury, damage to public or private property, restoration costs and public expenditure” arising from the organiser’s unlawful act or omission.
It also sought directions to the authorities to identify and notify designated sites in Delhi for protests, dharnas, demonstrations and public assemblies. The proposed sites should be located away from densely populated, commercial and central areas.
The petition further sought a direction requiring every application for permission to hold a protest, dharna, demonstration or procession to include an affidavit from the organiser disclosing the source of funds used to organise the gathering. Organisers should also state whether any part of the funds has been or will be received from a foreign source or from an unidentified source.
The plea said a false or incomplete declaration should be grounds for revoking permission, recovering compensation and costs from the organiser and those found to have financed the assembly, and initiating prosecution in accordance with the law.
The Supreme Court has sought responses on the petition, which calls for prior permission for protests in Delhi, designated protest sites, disclosure of funding sources and financial liability for organisers in cases involving loss of life, injury, property damage or public expenditure.
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
