Bombay High Court: State to provide police protection to activists

Hearing a suo-moto petition, the Bombay high court has reprimanded the Maharashtra state government for not considering the applications filed by the social activists seeking security in case of threat to their life or personal safety. The court was hearing a suo-moto petition concerning the safety of social activists.

Following the murder of a Pune-based RTI activist Satish Shetty, the Bombay Court had taken up the case in Public Interest. A division bench of acting Chief Justice D.D. Sinha and Justice K.K. Tated was informed by the government counsel that as per the court’s previous directions to look into such proposals and complaints of the activists, a special committee has been formed. The bench expressed unhappiness for its failure of the state to set proper guidelines concerning the safety of social activists and organisations that face threats. Justice Sinha said “Take immediate steps to ensure their security. Considering the sensitivity of the issue, the government ought to have formed the necessary guidelines long time ago”. The bench further directed the state to file an affidavit with the detailed rules in this regard and to provide interim police protection in cases of complaints from activists.