Meeting between organiser, police tomorrow: Delhi govt to HC on plea to hold Muslim Mahapanchayat at Ramlila Maidan

New Delhi: On a plea moved by the Mission Save Constitution (MSC) seeking permission to hold All India Muslim Mahapanchayat at the Ramlila Maidan here on December 18, the Delhi government apprised the Delhi High Court on Thursday that a meeting between the organiser, local police and traffic police is scheduled to take place on Friday.

In the last hearing, the high court had asked Delhi Police to decide on the plea by November 29.

The Delhi government's counsel submitted that it has received the list of speakers and also the assurance, and now a formal meeting has to be held to chart out the plans.

Justice Subramonium Prasad then posted the matter for next hearing on December 1.

Justice Prasad had earlier asked MSC, an NGO engaged in promoting awareness about constitutional rights, to submit the list of people who would be the speakers at the event to Delhi Police.

“Please consider it (list of speakers) and pass an order. Day after tomorrow, I am hearing the writ petition,” the judge had told the police counsel.

“Either you say that you have already taken a decision to reject the application (for permission), then I will proceed ahead based on the judgement of the Supreme Court,” Prasad had added.

On November 25, without going into the controversy as to which organisation should have approached which authority first, the court had directed the Delhi Police and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to consider the feasibility of holding the public meeting at the Ramlila Maidan on December 18.

Justice Prasad had said that MSC's application for holding the public meeting on December 18 be treated as a representation.

"Respondent No. 3/MCD and the police authorities are directed to consider the feasibility of holding the Mahapanchayat at Ramlila Ground on 18.12.2023,” the court had said.

Last month, the court had upheld Delhi Police’s decision to revoke initial permission granted to MSC, stressing on the importance of the period of end of Shradh till Diwali, calling it extremely auspicious for people belonging to the Hindu community.

However, the court had said that it is always open to the authorities, after the festive season is over, to consider afresh the organisation’s plea for permission to hold the event.

Earlier, Delhi Police had apprised Justice Prasad that it received an application from another organisation as well for organising a programme at the Ramlila ground from December 3 to 5 and no objection certificate (NOC) has been issued for it.

Now, while the permission was initially sought for holding the public meeting on December 4, the MCD informed the court that the Ramlila Maidan is not available for the said date and the same can be allotted subject to an NOC from Delhi Police.

On the other hand, Delhi Police said that NOC was already given to Maha Tyagi Seva Sansthan for organising 'Mahayagya for Vishwa Jan Kalyan' at the Ramlila Maidan from December 3 to 15, and therefore, the place is not available on December 4.

In response, the court said that it was not going into the controversy as to whether the Maha Tyagi Seva Sansthan should have first approached the MCD and then the police authorities, or as to whether the petitioner organisation should have first approached the police authorities and then the MCD.

The petitioner’s counsel submitted before the judge that out of the dates given by the MCD and the police authorities, December 18 was the most convenient for holding the public meeting.