High court orders to all criminal courts in the state
Aurangabad, April 19:
The Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court directed that agitations by social organizations and political parties held to draw attention to issues of public interest, as well as lawsuits filed during rallies which did not cause any loss of life or damage to public property worth more than Rs 5 lakh should be disposed of within two weeks. Bench comprising of Justice RD Dhanuka and SG Mehre ordered to all the criminal courts in the State on Tuesday.
Crimes were filed against political parties and social organizations for holding agitation such as shutdowns, gherao, rallies and demonstrations to draw the attention of the government to various issues of public interest. The Government of Maharashtra decided to withdraw such cases on July 10, 2010, January 13, 2015, March 14, 2016 and 2017 and issued orders in this regard. But no action was being taken. Hence the state vice president of the farmers association adv Ajit Kale requested the government on October 15, 2018, December 9, 2018 and December 9, 2019 to implement the orders. But the government did not take any concrete action. Therefore, adv Kale filed a PIL in the High Court seeking immediate removal of pending cases (offenses) as per the ruling.
The bench directed all the criminal courts in the State to dispose of the cases within two weeks. It has also ordered that the cases pending in the Aurangabad bench be consolidated and placed before the bench for appropriate order. The next hearing of this PIL will be on June 15, 2022. Adv Ajit Kale was the petitioner, while the government prosecutor DR kale is representing the government.