HC notice to Gujarat govt over permission for Kejriwal's rally

The Gujarat High Court today issued notice to the state government in response to a petition by AAP, which alleged that Surat police are not giving it permission for a rally by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Justice Sonia Gokani issued notices to the additional home secretary, Gujarat, Surat police commissioner and the district collector and adjourned the hearing to September 27.
The rally in Surat to be addressed by Kejriwal, AAP's national convener, is scheduled for October 16.
"This is going to be the first rally of Kejriwal in the state, to be held at Varachha in Surat. Considering that we have to prepare for the rally well in advance, we applied for police permission on August 19, but have not received any confirmation so far," AAP's media convener Harshil Naik said in the petition.

The party leaders have repeatedly approached the police commissioner but got no clarification, it said.
"A party delegation even met Governor O P Kohli on September 6 and requested him to intervene, but nothing has happened so far," it contended.
A few weeks ago, a programme organised by a trade association in Surat which Kejriwal was to attend, was cancelled as Veer Narmad South Gujarat University authorities denied a hall for the programme. AAP had alleged that the university acted under the BJP government's pressure.
The petition claimed that Surat police had allowed rallies by BJP chief Amit Shah, Union minister Smriti Irani and senior Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela recently.