Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has said the returning officer will have to take inputs from the city police before granting permission to the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) to organise a rally ahead of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike elections.
Justice A.S. Bopanna on Tuesday issued the direction while rejecting AIMIM’s plea for a direction to the authorities to grant permission for its public rally that was scheduled for August 11 at Chota Maidan in Shivajinagar.
A jurisdictional returning officer on August 6 had granted permission to AIMIM to hold the rally at Chota Maidan between noon and 10 p.m. on August 11 on the condition that it should obtain permission from the city police.
The police, however, refused permission on the grounds of participation of AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi, who was earlier this year barred from entering the city. The retuning officer, on August 10 passed a fresh order cancelling the conditional permission granted earlier.
Observing that the view of the police on law and order and threat perceptions would be important for the returning officer to decide on granting permission, the court said AIMIM could seek permission from the returning officer, the police under the Karnataka Police Act and from the owners of any other venue.
(Agencies)
