HC seeks reply from Centre, Delhi Police on MSC’s plea to hold public meeting at Ramlila Maidan

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought response from the Centre, Delhi Police and MCD on Mission Save Constitution’s (MSC) plea to hold a public meeting (All India Muslim Mahapanchayat) at the Ramlila Maidan.

Notably, the high court had last month upheld Delhi Police’s decision to revoke initial permission granted to the petitioner, MSC, an organisation dedicated to promoting awareness about constitutional rights, stressing on the importance of the period of end of Shradh till Diwali, calling it extremely auspicious for people belonging to the Hindu community.

However, the court had said that it is always open to the authorities, after the festive season is over, to consider afresh the organisation’s plea for permission to hold the event.

Delhi Police apprised Justice Subramonium Prasad that it has received an application from another organisation as well for organising a programme at the Ramlila ground from December 3 to 5 and no objection certificate (NOC) has been issued for it.

In response, the court asked the police to place before it the relevant records, including the copy of application of the other organisation and when it was received.

The petitioner said it is aggrieved by the pendency of a decision by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Central district, on its application seeking NOC for organising the meeting on December 4.

After the high court had upheld Delhi Police’s decision to revoke initial permission granted to the petitioner, the latter rescheduled the event for December 4 and applied for permission to book Ramlila ground.

“The Horticulture Department of the MCD redirected the petitioner to the Delhi Police for NOC and the petitioner then submitted a request on November 13 after the conclusion of Diwali festivities,” the plea, filed through advocates Jatin Bhatt and Harshit Gahlot, said.

Delhi Police, through advocate Arun Panwar, submitted before Justice Prasad that the application regarding NOC to organise the event on December 4 has been considered but the request could not be acceded.

He said the Central district received an application on November 8 from Mahatyagi Sewa Sansthan for organising a programme at the Ramlila ground from December 3 to 5. The counsel said the NOC has already been granted to the Sansthan for December 4, so it is not feasible to entertain another application for the same date.

The matter is likely to be heard on November 24.

Earlier, Justice Prasad had refused to grant permission to the petitioner, which had initially received approval for the gathering, scheduled for October 29, after a series of meetings and clearances with Delhi Police officials.

However, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) of Central district had revoked this permission citing concerns over the event’s “communal” nature.

The organisation had alleged that the Delhi Police unilaterally and arbitrarily revoked their initial consent.

The police had informed Justice Prasad that MSC allegedly misled the authorities when seeking permission to hold the public meeting.

The police had said that while the initial permission had been granted, it was subsequently revoked due to numerous complaints from local residents, who expressed concerns that the proposed event with expected attendance of around 10,000 people might have communal undertones.

The court had observed that the posters of the organisation showed that the event can have communal and religious overtones, and that it might increase communal tension in the Old Delhi area, which has witnessed communal tensions in the past.

Justice Prasad had said that while there is freedom to raise voice, the apprehension of the SHO of the concerned area cannot be washed away by constitutional courts for the possibility of communal tension.

He had said that the organisation’s fresh plea for permission will be considered by the authorities on its own merits, subject to the organisation providing a list of speakers and an undertaking that the meeting will not cause any communal tension.

The organisation’s objective for the event is to initiate a series of gatherings focused on strengthening various marginalised communities, beginning with minority communities and extending to groups like SC, ST, and OBC. These meetings aim to give a voice to all oppressed sections of society.

The DCP’s letter, which cancelled the previous permission, mentioned that the event’s theme had been misrepresented, and social media posts indicated a communal agenda.

It raised concerns about the potential for communal tensions during the festive season and in a sensitive location like Old Delhi.

The petitioner had argued that the reasons provided for the cancellation of permission were “unfounded’ and “unreasonable”.

MSC, led by advocate Mehmood Pracha as its national convenor, aims to educate the public about their constitutional rights and improve the well-being of marginalised communities by utilising constitutional and legal provisions.

–IANS