Delhi HC grants permission to organise Muslim Mahapanchayat subject to certain conditions
Dec 01, 2023
New Delhi [India], December 1 : The Delhi High Court on Friday granted permission to organise a Muslim Mahapanchayat on December 18 subject to fulfilling the condition imposed by Delhi Police.
An organisation called 'Mission Save the Constitution' is organising the mass meeting.
Justice Subramonium Prasad granted permission, subject to fulfilling 14 conditions imposed by the Delhi Police.
The Delhi police have imposed conditions seeking assurance from organisations that the gathering of participants is not beyond 10,000, the petitioner doesn't change or exceed six speakers, and that the speakers do not deliver any speech against the law or any hate speech.
It has also asked the petitioner to install high-definition CCTV cameras with a recording facility and a CCTV control room at the venue.
Advocate Arun Panwar, standing counsel for the Delhi government, informed the court that a meeting of the Delhi Police and the petitioner was held Thursday.
He also submitted that Delhi police have imposed certain conditions given the safety and security of the people in the area and traffic movement.
After noting the submissions, the high court disposed of the petition. The high court said that any other department shall not raise the issue of the availability of the venue on the date of the programme.
On Saturday, the High Court directed that the application already given by the
Petitioner on November 10, 2023, for holding the Mahapanchayat on December 4, 2023, be treated as a representation for holding the Mahapanchayat on December 18, 2023, and the MCD and the Police Authorities are directed to consider the feasibility of holding the Mahapanchayat at Ramlila Ground, Delhi, on December 18, 2023.
It was stated by the counsel for the petitioner that out of the dates given by MCD and the police authorities, the date of December 18, 2023, is the most convenient for holding the Mahapanchayat.
The petitioner had made an application on November 10, 2023, before MCD for allotment of Ramlila Maidan, Delhi for December 4, 2023, to hold a Muslim Mahapanchayat to be organised by the petitioner.
On the same day, the Respondent MCD, through a letter, informed the Petitioner that the Ramlila Ground is vacant or available for December 4, 2023, and the same can be allotted for December 4, 2023, subject to a NOC from Delhi Police.
However, a counter affidavit has been filed by SHO, Kamla Market, stating that the police have already given NOC to Maha Tyagi Seva Sansthan for organising 'Mahayagya for Vishwa Jan Kalyan' at Ramlila Ground from December 3 to 15, 2023 and therefore, Ramlila Ground is not available for the petitioner on December 4, 2023.
Earlier, the permission granted was revoked by the authorities.
On October 25, the Delhi High Court dismissed the plea against the revocation of permission to organise a mass meeting at Ramleela Maidan.
The plea was moved by Mission Save Constitution through its national convenor, Mehmood Pracha, who is a practising lawyer.
The petition had challenged two letters issued by the DCP (Central) and MCD revoking the permission that was granted earlier.
It had challenged the letter issued by the Deputy Commission of Police whereby he revoked the permission granted to the Petitioner on October 6, 2023, for the organisation of an event at Ramlila Ground, New Delhi, which was to be held
on October 29, 2023.
It was stated that the petitioner had called for a mass meeting on October 29, 2023, at Ramlila Ground, Delhi. After a series of meetings with the officials of the respondents, significant scrutiny, and several clearances, the petitioner was granted permission to hold the said meeting.
However, thereafter, the DCP unilaterally, in an arbitrary manner, revoked the permission, as the plea had stated.