No stage, loudspeaker at Chhat Puja ground: Delhi HC

The Delhi high court asked the police on Tuesday to ensure that no one uses stage and loudspeaker at a South Delhi ground for Chhat Puja by two organisers and maintain law and order.

The Delhi high court asked the police on Tuesday to ensure that no one uses stage and loudspeaker at a South Delhi ground for Chhat Puja by two organisers and maintain law and order.

East Delhi Municipal corporation workers clean Yamuna Ghat ahead of Chhat Puja, in New Delhi. (Sonu Mehta/HT Photo)

The court said that public address system should be used only by the police to address the large number of people gathered at the Chhat ground in Aya Nagar here.

“This court is of the view that Delhi Government may consider the suggestion made by district magistrate (South) last year and implement it in the present season,” Justice Vibhu Bakhru said.

The court also asked Additional Commissioner of Police (Licensing) to immediately issue an advisory directing that no person is allowed to use stage and public address system, which should only be used by the police to address the public to maintain law and order.

The court passed the order while disposing a plea filed by Purvanchal Chhat and Sanskritik Vikas Samiti, a registered society which claimed to be organising Chhat Puja for people of Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh for last 24 years.

It said the ground was not large enough to accomodate two organisers and may create law and order problem as every year, around 10,000 people gathered there to worship Sun God.

Additional standing counsel Satyakam, who appeared for Delhi government and Delhi Police’s ACP, told the court that the licences were granted for the puja by the police after receiving reports from the local police and traffic police.

He said law and order situation was examined and licences were issued after examining all aspects and that it was a considered decision to grant licence to more than one organiser as Chhat was a big religious programme.

He also argued that it was a personal and political fight of the petitioner and not a legal fight.

The petition claimed that the president of the other organiser, Purvanchal Sanskritik and Samajik Vikas Manch, was a member of BJP and he was seeing the function as an opportunity for his political ambition.