Lucknow: The Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court yesterday banned caste-based rallies in Uttar Pradesh with immediate effect.
A bench of justices Umanath Singh and Mahendra Dayal passed the order while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by lawyer Moti Lal Yadav.
The petitioner contended that rallies based on caste were against the constitution and threatened to vitiate social harmony in the country’s most populous state.
The court also issued notices to the central and state governments, the Election Commission, Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress, making them party to the litigation.
In his petition, Yadav brought to the notice of the court that every party in the state was trying to score a point by holding caste-based conventions and rallies.
In the past few months, SP has held ‘Brahman Sammelans’ in four places, with the biggest show of strength held in the state capital. That rally was addressed by party chief Mayawati on Sunday. The ruling SP, too, recently held a Brahman convention and a Muslim rally addressed by party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.
IANS
