PIL on curbs on assembly near India Gate dismissed

The Delhi High Court Wednesday dismissed a PIL challenging the imposition of restrictions on the gathering of people at and around India Gate during the anti-rape protests in the city in the wake of the Dec 16, 2012, gang-rape.

A division bench of Chief Justice N.V. Ramana and Justice Manmohan dismissed the plea, saying it would pass a detailed judgment later.

A public interest litigation (PIL) was filed by advocate Anand K. Mishra challenging imposition of Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) which deals with "the power to issue order in urgent cases of nuisance of apprehended danger", prohibiting the assembly of five or more people at and around India Gate.

Mishra's plea said there were unreasonable restrictions on peaceful assembly and movement of public at the time.

Delhi witnessed large gatherings of people on the streets, as they protested the brutal gang-rape of a 23-year-old physiotherapy intern in a moving private bus in the city by six people, including a juvenile, Dec 16, 2012.