Permission given for Pune procession to mark Tipu Sultan birth anniversary, HC told

PTI Mumbai: Police on Tuesday informed the Bombay High Court that they have granted permission for a procession planned on December 24 in Pune to celebrate 18th century Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan’s birth anniversary. A division bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Prithviraj Chavan, which was informed about the permission granted by the Pune rural police, noted a person has the right to take out a procession, but he has to abide by conditions and restrictions imposed as per law.

The HC observed it was the police’s job to ensure no untoward incident happens during an event and suggested them not to cite law and order issue every time. The bench was hearing a petition filed by Faiyaz Shaikh, the Pune unit president of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), seeking a direction to the police to grant permission to hold a rally to commemorate the birth anniversaries of Tipu Sultan, freedom fighter Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and also the Constitution Day. The procession to mark all three occasions has been planned for December 24.

As per the plea, the Pune rural police had refused to give nod for the rally and asked the petitioner to celebrate the occasions at his private place and not in public arena. The police had apprehended such rallies may cause law and order problems. The bench had last week directed the police to consider the plea seeking permission for the event.