HC asks Punjab to list out steps taken to implement SC order

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court on Thursday asked Punjab to list out steps taken to implement the Supreme Court directions on ban of sound amplifiers at night between 10pm and 6am. The court also asked the state to take measures to stop noise pollution.

The direction came from the high court bench of justice SS Saron and justice Darshan Singh on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by a Chandigarh resident, Panditrao Dharennavar. He had sought directions not to allow people to carry arms and ammunition to the wedding functions and also to frame policy to censor vulgar and cheap lyrics which instigate people to

THE PETITIONER HAD SOUGHT DIRECTIONS NOT TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO CARRY ARMS AND AMMUNITION TO WEDDING FUNCTIONS

behave in violent or indecent way, especially towards women.

In his response, Bathinda deputy commissioner Ghansyam Thori had told the court that there was no policy or letter from the Punjab government for imposition of ban for carrying of arms and ammunition during the wedding functions. But such measures are being taken by district magistrates by invoking the provision of Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, he told the court.

The government has told the court that it was not authorised to constitute any regularity authority to regulate or censor films or songs under the Cinematograph Act, 1952, as same is done by Board of Film Certification.

The court was also apprised that when a 24-year-old orchestra dancer, Kulvinder Kaur, was shot dead by a drunk man on the dance floor of a marriage palace in Maur Mandi in Bathinda, the Section 144 was already in force. He added that the FIR in the murder case was registered on December 5, 2016, at the Maur Mandi police station. The incident had taken place on December 3.

The matter has been adjourned for March 23.