The Bombay High Court has ruled in favor of allowing the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) to conduct a rally in Pune to celebrate Tipu Sultan Jayanti, provided that all legal and order protocols are followed. This decision came after the AIMIM Pune District President filed a petition challenging the Pune Police’s refusal to grant permission for the event originally scheduled for November 26, which also coincided with Constitution Day and the commemoration of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.
Justices Revati Mohite Dere and SG Dige of the division bench stated that there was no valid reason to deny permission for the rally, emphasizing that the police have the authority to impose necessary restrictions to ensure public safety and can register offenses if any incidents occur. “There is no reason why they can’t be allowed to take out the procession for this. You can impose restrictions. And in case of incidents, you can always register the offences. Law and order is your prerogative,” the court observed.
During the hearing, Pune Rural SP Pankaj Deshmukh, who appeared via video conference, cited previous incidents from last year’s celebration as grounds for the initial denial. He explained that while permissions were granted for the events related to Constitution Day and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, concerns raised by another community led to the refusal for the Tipu Sultan Jayanti rally.
The court inquired if there was any formal prohibition against celebrating Tipu Sultan Jayanti and upon finding none, it directed the authorities to mitigate concerns through careful restrictions and appropriate measures. The court also required the petitioners to submit an undertaking to ensure that the rally would proceed peacefully and adhere to the conditions laid down by the police.
