Hearing on a public interest litigation regarding the planned Mahapanchayat in Purola, Uttarkashi, which was postponed earlier on Wednesday, the Uttarakhand High Court has directed the State government to ensure necessary measures to maintain peace, law and order. The court has also prohibited television debates on the Mahapanchayat.

The PIL by Association for the Protection of Civil Rights member advocate Shahrukh Alam was taken up for hearing by the division bench of chief justice Vipin Sanghi and justice Rakesh Thapliyal on Thursday. The court said that the government should act effectively according to the law in such matters. It also stated that no television debates will be held on the subject and that the social media will not be used for it. The police was directed to submit a reply within three weeks after investigating those against whom cases were lodged in the matter.

The PIL had sought prohibition on holding the Mahapanchayat amidst tensions in Purola after an attempted kidnapping of a minor by two men. The petitioner stated that the two accused had been arrested. Even after that, members of a particular community were being forced to vacate their shops. The petitioner had expressed apprehension that leaders of organisations attending the proposed Mahapanchayat could make hate speech which might spoil the situation. The advocate general SN Babulkar stated that adequate arrangements have been made to maintain peace in Purola but some people sitting in Delhi are trying to spoil the atmosphere in Uttarakhand. He pointed out that the organisers of the Mahapanchayat had themselves postponed the event a day earlier, adding that there is no risk of communal tension or riots in the State.

It will be recalled that earlier the Supreme Court had refused to hear this petition and allowed the petitioner to approach the High Court or authorities concerned for relief.