SUDIN S. Vs. UNION OF INDIA AND ORS.

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This bunch of Writ Petitions have been listed before the Full Bench on a reference made by a Division Bench of this Court. The Division Bench took the view that the issues raised in the Writ Petitions are of public importance, hence they require to be heard by a Full Bench.

(2.) This bunch of Writ Petitions highlights the grievance and suffering by common people of the State, on whom by the call of observing hartal by different political parties and organizations forces closure of all their activities, including respective businesses and vocations. The petitioners' grievances are compounded by not taking appropriate action and measures by the State, who is obliged to secure lives and properties of members of the society. The grievance is that in spite of two Full Benches of this Court having declared 'bandh' and 'forced hartal' unconstitutional, the political parties and various organizations are giving call for hartals and prosecuting their calls, which are nothing but forced hartals. Some of the petitioners, for example, petitioners in W.P(C).No.32529 of 2007, W.P(C).No.2183 of 2008 and W.P(C).No.21455 of 2012, who are aggrieved by failure of the State authorities to ensure normal functioning of the people in bandhs and forced hartals, have come with the prayer for restraining the print and electronic media from publishing any news regarding call of hartals given by political parties and different organizations.

(3.) In bunch of these Writ Petitions several prayers have been made by different petitioners giving relevant facts and details. Counter affidavits by some political parties, the State Government and other respondents have been filed. For noticing the issues raised before the Full Bench and the pleadings of the parties it is sufficient to note the pleadings and reliefs in all the Writ Petitions. We now proceed to note the facts and issues brought on record in above Writ Petitions for deciding the bunch of Writ Petitions.