Jharkhand High Court Orders SOP for Police During Demonstrations

The Jharkhand High Court has ordered the state's Director General of Police, Anurag Gupta, to provide a standard operating procedure for police handling demonstrations in the state capital. This directive came during a hearing focused on improving traffic conditions disrupted by protests. The hearing will continue on September 20.

The Jharkhand High Court has mandated Director General of Police Anurag Gupta to submit a standard operating procedure to be employed by the police during demonstrations and dharnas in the state capital.

This order came from a division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad and Justice Arun Kumar Rai, during a public interest litigation hearing concerning erratic traffic conditions in Ranchi.

Emphasizing the importance of law and order for good governance, the court stated that societal protection from mobs of demonstrators is crucial. Police must instill a fear of consequences among demonstrators if they act unlawfully. The court also highlighted the administration's ample time to prepare for such events, suggesting strategies to confine demonstrators and redirect traffic to mitigate disruptions for the general public.

The court session will reconvene on September 20.

Previously, on August 27, Justice Sanjay Kumar Dwivedi summoned the DGP and other senior officers following traffic chaos during a 'Jan Aakrosh' rally by BJP, which left him stranded in front of the Chief Minister's residence. This incident prompted the current hearings on traffic management.

(With inputs from agencies.)