HC gives nod for PM’s Coimbatore roadshow
He heard the matter in the afternoon and passed orders by evening. Justice Venkatesh said that the police had cited three major reasons for rejecting permission, but none of them was acceptable. He also refused to accept the claim of the Assistant Commissioner that no one had ever been granted permission for a roadshow.
The idea behind the Prime Minister’s roadshow was to meet the maximum number of people within a short period of time, he said. “Hence, the hindrance to the general public due to the visit of the Hon’ble Prime Minister is unavoidable, and that cannot be raised as a ground to deny permission,” the judge said.
He went on to state that the conduct of public examinations for schoolchildren on March 18 could also not be cited as a reason to reject permission, since the roadshow had been planned only after 5 p.m. on an arterial road, which may not cause any disturbance to students preparing for the examinations.
The third reason — that the proposed route was communally sensitive — also did not cut ice with the judge, who stated that the security arrangements for the Prime Minister would be taken care of by the Special Protection Group, in coordination with the State police.
After setting aside the Assistant Commissioner’s rejection order, the judge directed the police officer to grant permission by imposing reasonable conditions such as determining the route and the distance to be covered during the roadshow, and banning the erection of flex boards on the route.
Making it clear that the writ petitioner should comply with the conditions, the judge said, “All concerned shall ensure that the roadshow takes place in a smooth manner without giving rise to any law and order problem or causing any concern over the safety and security of the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India.”