Allahabad HC Issues Notice To 4 Major UP Political Parties On PIL Seeking Ban On Caste-Based Rallies

The bench, comprising Chief Justice Arun Bhansali and Justice Jaspreet Singh, set April 10 as the next date of hearing in response to the PIL filed by local lawyer Motilal Yadav.

New Delhi: The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has issued notices to the four major political parties of Uttar Pradesh following a PIL seeking a complete ban on caste-based rallies.

The bench, comprising Chief Justice Arun Bhansali and Justice Jaspreet Singh, set April 10 as the next date of hearing in response to the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by local lawyer Motilal Yadav, reported news agency PTI.

The petitioner had originally sought a ban on caste-based rallies in Uttar Pradesh, and back in July 2013, the bench had put an interim ban on organising caste-based rallies in the state. However, the notices to the main political parties -- the BJP, the Samajwadi Party, the BSP, and the Congress -- were found to be unserved.

To rectify this, the bench issued fresh notices to the political parties to allow them to submit their responses. Additionally, the Election Commission of India had filed a response, but due to its unavailability in the record, the bench requested a fresh copy.

In its order passed in 2013, the bench had observed, "The unrestricted freedom to hold caste-based rallies, which is to the total disliking and beyond the comprehension of the modern generation and also being contrary to the public interest, cannot be justified. It will rather be an act of negating the rule of law and denying the fundamental rights to citizens," as per the PTI report.

The bench had also said, "In their attempt to seek political base in the caste system by means of politicization, it appears that the political parties have seriously disturbed the social fabrics and cohesiveness. It has rather resulted in causing social fissions."

The PIL highlighted the plight of caste minorities in the country, who feel marginalized due to political parties' strategies aimed at garnering votes. Despite constitutional provisions and fundamental rights, these minorities often find themselves disadvantaged in the political landscape, the petitioner argued, the PTI report added.

"Despite the clear constitutional provisions and the fundamental rights enshrined therein, they are feeling disillusioned, dismayed and betrayed because of being placed in disadvantageous position in the number game of vote politics," it stated.