Rajasthan's Jaipur imposes section 144 till May 9; Check guidelines here

Jaipur District Collector imposed section 144 citing the possibility of "disturbance of law and order and traffic congestion" as protests are being held without permission.

Image credit: IANS

Jaipur: The Jaipur district administration on Saturday (April 9) imposed Section 144 CrPC till May 9 and suspended the gathering of crowds, protests, assemblies and processions without prior permission in the entire rural and urban area. The imposition of Section 144 comes in the wake of the Karauli riots that took place on April 2 during a religious procession.

Jaipur District Collector Anand Kumar Srivastava in an order dated April 9, said, "In view of the mass gatherings, assemblies, processions, and protests being held without permission, there are chances of the disturbance of law and order and traffic congestion. This may also lead to apprehensions of breach of public peace and adversely disrupting social harmony. In such a situation, preventive action is necessary immediately to maintain social harmony and public peace."

It further says, "Therefore, in view of the above circumstances, I, Anand Kumar Srivastava, District Magistrate, Jaipur, in the exercise of the powers conferred under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, impose prohibitory orders prohibiting the gathering of crowds, protests, assemblies and processions without prior permission."

"The similar carried out by the Central government or state government remains debarred from following the prohibitory orders. Besides this, organising of marriage functions, mournings shall remain excluded from following the orders."

He further said in his order that organising any such mass gathering, protests, assemblies and processions must be carried out with prior permission of Police authorities while following the required conditions.

"Any person shall not be found carrying any arms or weapon in a public place. The order shall not comply with Police personnel, home guards, military, and persons of central government with a license to carry weapons on duty."

"Possession and demonstration of explosives in public places must be prohibited," he said. The administration has also prohibited any objectionable sloganeering and singing or demonstration of similar activities.

According to the order, no person or his group or representative shall use a DJ for any kind of religious or other function without permission. The use of loudspeakers in all public and religious places remains prohibited to curb noise pollution. Prior permission will be required to carry out the same allowed from 6 am to 10 pm.

Any group, organisation or individual must not promote any material or content through social media; Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, WhatsApp, likely to hurt social, cultural or religious sentiments or incite communal violence.

He further said, "If a person violates the above prohibitory orders, he may be prosecuted under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code."The order remains effective from April 9, 2022, till midnight May 9, 2022, he said.