The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Tuesday granted permission for a public meeting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in Thoothukudi on March 13.
The court was hearing a petition filed by A. Kidar Bisme, Thoothukudi district secretary of the Tamilaga Valvurimai Katchi, who sought permission to hold the meeting after the police refused to grant it.
Justice G.R. Swaminathan imposed a set of conditions. The court allowed the petitioner to conduct the meeting at V.V.D. Signal from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. with a maximum of 750 people. The organiser would ensure traffic was not affected. The court allowed a stage to be erected and said the volume of the amplifiers should be kept within the permissible limit. The speakers at the event should not say anything that could incite violence.
During the course of the hearing, the State government did not object to the holding of the event. Taking cognisance of the fact that the petitioner was implicated in a false case after he sought permission to conduct the event, the court said the rejection of permission was in violation of his fundamental rights.
The State government’s contention — that holding the meeting in the said location would create problems — did not hold water, the court said, adding that certain conditions could be set out instead.
It was said that the petitioner had organised six such meetings so far.
