Why the delay in filing PIL against Anna's fast, asks HC

Why have you delayed filing the public interest litigation until Anna Hazare's agitation has begun when it was announced a while back, the Bombay high court on Tuesday asked petitioner Mangleshwar Tripathi.

Why have you delayed filing the public interest litigation until Anna Hazare's agitation has begun when it was announced a while back, the Bombay high court on Tuesday asked petitioner Mangleshwar Tripathi.

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The matter will now come up for hearing on Wednesday.

Hearing the petition, the vacation bench of Justice Girish Godbole and Justice ML Tahilyani observed that agitation was the right of every citizen, and that a person who stages protests is aware of the consequences of breaking the law.

Tripathi, a social activist, has moved the court demanding that Anna's fast and Jail Bharo Andolan be declared illegal and unconstitutional as Parliament is currently debating the matter. He has also claimed that Anna's fast is an undue pressure tactic.

When Tripathi's lawyer pointed out that Anna was unwell and should not be fasting, it said: "Let Hazare bother about his own health." The petitioner has also requested the court to impose restrictions on Anna and his team so that they can't make political comments on the stage.