The Jharkhand High Court, on Friday, ordered Director General of Police (DGP) Anurag Gupta to submit the standard operating procedure (SOP) that the police intend to use during demonstrations and dharnas in Ranchi. This directive was issued by a division bench consisting of Acting Chief Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad and Justice Arun Kumar Rai during the hearing of a public interest litigation concerning erratic traffic in the state capital.
The court highlighted the need for a structured approach to manage public demonstrations to ensure law and order and good governance. “The society needs to be protected from demonstrators, and they should have a sense of fear about the police and the consequences of their actions if things escalate,” the bench stated.
The bench also noted that the administration usually has prior knowledge about planned demonstrations and dharnas, which provides them with sufficient time to prepare for any emergencies. The court suggested that demonstrators could be confined to a specific area to minimize disruption, and alternative routes could be established to manage traffic effectively without affecting the general public.
This judicial intervention follows an incident on August 23, when Justice Sanjay Kumar Dwivedi was caught in a traffic jam in front of the Chief Minister’s residence during the ‘Jan Aakrosh’ rally organized by the BJP. Frustrated by the poor traffic management, Justice Dwivedi had summoned the DGP and other senior officers to appear in person, leading to the elevation of the issue to a matter of public interest litigation.
The case has been scheduled for further hearing on September 20, where the High Court expects to review the submitted SOP and assess the police’s readiness to handle public gatherings while ensuring the smooth flow of traffic and safety of the general populace.
