PIL before Kerala HC to regulate Bharat Jodo Yatra as traffic snarls mount

Kochi, Sep 20

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday accepted a public interest litigation seeking the intervention of the court to see that the ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is regulated as it is causing hardship to the people due to massive traffic snarls after the yatra entered Kerala early this month.

The petition has been filed by K. Vijayan, a former police official who is now a practicing advocate.

The yatra which entered Kerala from Tamil Nadu on September 11 has been attracting huge crowds especially at the evening leg of the yatra where an estimated over 20,000 people take part in the rally.

Consequent to this, massive traffic blocks are being witnessed every day and it's against this that the petitioner has approached the court for relief.

In his petition he also sought that the organisers of the yatra should be asked to bear the cost of security that's being provided when a huge force of police personnel is deployed every day.

The petitioner has also requested the police headquarters to take appropriate steps.

"Section 4 of the Kerala Public Ways (Restriction of Assemblies and Procession) Act 2011, deals with the prohibition of obstruction on public ways and as per sub section (1) of Section 4, Section 5 of the Kerala Public Ways (Restriction of Assemblies and Procession) Act 2011, authorises the District Police Chief to impose reasonable restrictions on the right of obstructed movement of the public along public ways," said the petitioner.

He has asked the court to see the yatra goes forward leaving enough space for the vehicles to move also.

The court is expected to take up the petition on Wednesday.

The yatra reached the Kerala border on September 11 and it will cross 43 assembly and 12 Lok Sabha constituencies, covering 453 kms in 19 days.