Delhi HC to hear Mission Save Constitution's plea challenging revocation of permission to hold mass meeting
Oct 19, 2023
New Delhi [India], October 19 : The Delhi High is to hear plea of an organisation challenging the revocation of permission to organise a mass meeting at Ramleela Maidan.
The plea has been moved by Mission Save Constitution through its national convenor Mehmood Pracha who is a practising lawyer. Petition has challenged two letters issued by the DCP (Central) and MCD revoking the permission which was granted earlier.
Petition was listed before justice Subramonium Prasad who adjourned the hearing for Friday. Mission Save Constitution has moved plea through advocate Jatin Bhatt and Harshit Gehlot. It has challenged the letter issued by Deputy Commissioner of Police whereby he has revoked the permission granted to the petitioner on 06.10.2023 for organization of an event at Ramlila Ground, New Delhi, to be held on 29.10.2023.
The plea also stated that the letter revoking the permission suffers from serious legal and constitutional infirmities, including having been issued in violation of due process, and is thus liable to be set aside.
The petitioner has arrayed Central Government, DCP, Horticulture Department of MCD as respondents. It is stated that the Petitioner had called for a mass meeting on 29.10.2023 at Ramlila Ground, Delhi. After a series of meetings with the officials of the Respondents, significant scrutiny, and taking several clearances, the Petitioner had been granted the permission to hold the said meeting.
However, thereafter, the DCP unilaterally, in an arbitrary manner, revoked the permission, the plea stated. It is alleged that the Officials of the Delhi Police had asked the representatives of the Petitioner to change the nature of the call raise for the meeting, which was extremely distasteful and against the ideals of the Petitioner. This has led to the permission for holding of the meeting being cancelled.
On October 16, the representatives of the Petitioner are asked to join a meeting with the DCP, Central on the same day in the evening, it added. It is further stated that during the meeting, the representatives of the Petitioner are told that the nature of the program was not agreeable to the Police, and that it would be better if
instead of agitating for the rights of all oppressed classes, the program was confined only to Muslims, and that they would not permit the gathering to take place, and that several people in high positions would be adversely affected if such a meeting was permitted to go ahead.
The representatives of the Petitioner refused the suggestion during the meeting, but were asked to mull over it, plea alleged. The petitioner has prayed for a direction, calling for the records of the letter of 16.10.2023, issued by the DCP. It has also sought a direction for quashing and setting aside the letters issued by the DCP and MCD.
It has also sought a direction, directing the Respondents to permit the Petitioner to hold the event scheduled for 29.10.2023 at Ramlila Ground.
