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Civil society marches in Bengaluru against curbs on protests
ଖବରରେ କାହିଁକି?
Protests confined to one park: the Article 19(1)(b) limits Prelims and GS2 expect you to know
Groups marched against the 2021 Bengaluru order that confines protests to Freedom Park.
Why it matters: Karnataka-specific
What you need to know
2 ମିନିଟ
Civil society groups marched from Town Hall in Bengaluru against the Licensing and Regulation of Protests, Demonstrations and Protest Marches (Bengaluru City) Order, 2021, which the city police cite to confine protests to Freedom Park.
The right to assemble peaceably is guaranteed by Article 19(1)(b), subject to reasonable restrictions.
ଉତ୍ସ: Topper IAS editorial (PIB / The Hindu / Indian Express)
ମୁଖ୍ୟ ତଥ୍ୟ
Remember these
- Article 19(1)(b) guarantees citizens the right to assemble peaceably and without arms.
- Article 19(3) permits reasonable restrictions on assembly in the interests of sovereignty and integrity of India or public order.
- The Bengaluru City Order, 2021 licenses and regulates protests, and police cite it to confine them to Freedom Park.
- Freedom Park in Bengaluru is the designated venue for protests under the order.
- Civil society groups marched from Town Hall in Bengaluru against these curbs.
ପ୍ରିଲିମ୍ସ · ମେନ୍ସ
How the exam will ask it
ପ୍ରିଲିମ୍ସ
- Article 19(1)(b) confers the right to assemble peaceably and without arms on citizens only, not on foreigners.
- The right to assemble is not absolute; Article 19(3) allows reasonable restrictions in the interests of public order and the sovereignty and integrity of India.
- The freedoms under Article 19(1)(a) to (g) are available to citizens, and restrictions on them must be reasonable and are open to judicial review.
ମେନ୍ସ
GS2: Fundamental rights and civil liberties. Issue: police use a licensing order to confine protests to a single designated site, raising questions on the right to assemble. Provision: Article 19(1)(b) read with the reasonable restrictions of Article 19(3), tested by courts through proportionality. Implication: blanket confinement may dilute dissent in a democracy. Way forward: clear, narrowly tailored rules, with designated sites supplementing rather than replacing the right to protest, and accountable, reviewable permission processes.
Quick recall
Answer before you reveal
With reference to the right to assemble under the Constitution of India, consider the following statements:
- Article 19(1)(b) guarantees the right to assemble peaceably and without arms to all persons, including foreigners.
- The State may impose reasonable restrictions on this right in the interests of public order.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
ଉତ୍ତର ଦେଖନ୍ତୁ
ଉତ୍ତର: B — The correct answer is 2 only. Article 19(1)(b) is available only to citizens, and Article 19(3) permits reasonable restrictions in the interests of public order.
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