Cuttack: The Orissa High Court on Friday said that bandh is not permitted and only hartal can be organised.
Agitators cannot stop vehicular movement or close any establishment forcefully, it said while hearing a petition of a Cuttack-based businessman Naresh Mishra of Ranihat area against the proposed Odisha bandh call by Congress on November 12.
“Some people had asked him to close his shop from 6 am to 12 pm tomorrow, following which he moved the court,” petitioner’s advocate Soumya Ranjan Mohanty told the media.
The court further ruled that rail and road traffic cannot be blocked and only peaceful protests will be allowed. Normal life cannot be disrupted by forceful means. The DGP has been directed to take action against any disruption, he said.
The Hand party has called for a six-hour Odisha bandh to press for the resignation of Minister of State for Home Dibya Shankar Mishra for his alleged link with the prime accused in the sensational Mamita Meher murder case, Govind Sahu.
Also Read: Cong’s Call For Odisha Bandh Tomorrow; Know Timing & What’s Exempted
“Working president of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee Chiranjib Biswal has assured the court that the bandh will be peaceful,” he said.
DGP Abhay and Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Commissioner Soumendra Priyadarshi also attended the court proceedings via video conference, he added.
Congress spokesman Debasish Patnaik had earlier told the media that party workers will stage road blockades and rail roko at several places. Shops and business establishments, offices, educational institutions and petrol pumps will be closed during the bandh.
“Emergency services will be excluded from the bandh. Hospitals and ambulance and Fire services will not be affected,” he added.
However, road and rail blockades are variants of the bandh, and thus, illegal and unconstitutional. The Supreme Court has been of the view that a bandh cannot be enforced as it would affect the fundamental rights of the citizens, in addition to causing national loss in many ways.
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