Maharashtra 'bandh': Mumbai police issues notices to MVA leaders and activists

Mumbai: Mumbai police on Friday said it had issued notices to leaders and activists of the Maha Vikas Aghadi in connection with the August 24 Maharashtra ‘bandh’ call given by the opposition alliance, a senior official said.

The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance had called for a shut-down across the state on Saturday to protest against the sexual assault of two kindergarten girls at a school in Badlapur in Thane district. The MVA comprises the Shiv Sena (UBT), the Congress and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP).

As part of measures to ensure the city does not witness any untoward incident, these notices have been issued to leaders and activists of the MVA, the official said.

The notices urge leaders and activists to observe the shutdown peacefully and asserts they would be held responsible for damage to public property and disturbance to public peace, the official informed.

“Notices have been issued to all active leaders and activists of the MVA and we will take strict action against anyone who violates court orders. Security arrangements are in place across the city to maintain law and order,” the official said.

He pointed out that prohibitory orders issued by police are already in force between August 18 and September 1 in the metropolis.

These orders prohibit the assembly or five or more persons at one place and also ban holding of processions etc, he said.

The Bombay High Court on Friday restrained political parties and individuals from proceeding with the Maharashtra bandh scheduled for August 24 or on any future date.

“Until further orders all concerned (political parties and/or individual) are restrained from proceeding with the call for bandh on August 24 and also on any other further date,” a division bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar said.

The court passed the order on two petitions filed on Friday through advocates Subhash Jha and Gunaratan Sadavarte challenging the shutdown call and seeking the court to restrain the same.

The bench relied on a July 2004 judgment passed by the HC in which it held that the enforcement of a ‘bandh’ or a ‘hartal’ would amount to unconstitutional act.