CHENNAI: Reversing the orders of a single judge, a division bench of Justice KK Sasidharan and Justice R Subramanian of Madras High Court upheld Tamil Nadu government’s decision to prohibit holding protests at Chennai’s Marina Beach. The court observed that the beach can’t be used for agitations as public order is equally important.
The court also said that the State always has the power to impose reasonable restrictions with regard to the time, the place and the manner in which the protest should be held and that the authority in whom such power is conferred is expected to balance the right of the protesters as well as the right of the common man.
Farmers’ association leader P Ayyakannu had filed a petition in April in the Madras High Court after the police had refused permission to hold protests at the Marina beach for Cauvery water dispute.
