HC says SCB must follow interim order
Andhra Pradesh High Court. File photo - DC Archives.
Hyderabad: The police on Thursday submitted before the AP High Court that despite interim orders, the Army authorities had been going ahead constructing gates to block the roads under the Secunderabad Cantonment Board limits.
W. Rachana, assistant government pleader for the home department, submitted before Justice P. Naveen Rao that it would not be possible for the police to provide alternative roads for citizens living adjacent to the Cantonment Board in the event of closure of the roads by the Army.
The judge was hearing pleas challenging the decision of the Army authorities to block the roads from February 25.
Ms Rachana said that the police had proposed to provide patrolling in the Cantonment Area at night to prevent untoward incidents and also for smooth-er passage of commuters during night times, but the Army authorities had declined the proposal.
The counsel representing the Army submitted that they would allow civilian traffic during the day but not at night, from 10 pm to 7 am, and added that the authorities had taken the decision in view of safety and security.
Moinuddin, an advocate representing a petitioner, cited that the Karnataka HC in 1998 had ruled that “the mere fact that the ro-ad passes through Army areas or Cantonment Boards wouldn’t change their nature authorising the Army authorities to put restrictions resulting in inconvenience to the general public effecting their fundamental right of freedom of passage, as enshrined in Article 19 (1) (d) of the Constitution”.
After hearing the arguments, the judge said the orders would be pronoun-ced later and till such time the interim order granted against the closu-re of roads would remain.
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