The State government has issued orders barring the organisation of public meetings and demonstrations on national and state highways, as well as on municipal and panchayat roads, in response to the stampede incidents that occurred in the districts of Nellore and Guntur and claimed the lives of 11 people.
Principal Secretary (Home) Harish Kumar Gupta issued a government order outlawing rallies and public meetings on roadways under the provisions of the Police Act, 1861, citing the Kandukur tragedy on December 28, 2022, where eight people perished in a stampede.
According to the statement, ‘Processions that cross public streets and public roads, as well as assemblies, are governed by the Act on the basis of maintaining public access to such streets and highways, public safety, and public peace.’
The opposition parties, however, argued that the government’s decision to issue an order banning electoral rallies and public gatherings was undemocratic and violated the right to peaceful assembly.
In less than a week, there were stampedes at Kandukur in Nellore and Guntur city, both of which happened when TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu was present at meetings.
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