Politics · India Bureau
Madras High Court questions denial of route march permissions to RSS, DK
A Madras High Court judge has questioned why Tamil Nadu police deny route march permissions to organizations like the RSS and Dravidar Kazhagam, noting such activities are permitted in other states including conflict-affected areas.
LSN India ·
Justice V. Lakshminarayanan raised the query during proceedings, seeking clarification on the grounds for denying route march approvals to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) in Tamil Nadu. The judge noted the apparent inconsistency in policing approach, highlighting that similar organizations are permitted to conduct route marches in various states across India.
The court's observation pointed to the paradox that route marches are authorized even in areas designated as terrorism-affected, such as Jammu and Kashmir, raising questions about the uniform application of permission criteria. Justice Lakshminarayanan sought to understand the specific rationale behind Tamil Nadu's restrictive stance on such processions by these particular organizations.
The query reflects ongoing judicial scrutiny of administrative decisions regarding public assembly permissions, with the high court examining whether the denial of such approvals meets constitutional and legal standards. The court's intervention suggests concerns about potential inconsistencies in how permit applications are evaluated across different organizations and states.
The case comes amid broader debates in Tamil Nadu regarding protest permissions and the rights of various political and social organizations to conduct public demonstrations and marches within the state.