YC rally in Kerala flouts court norms

Several private buses were forced to cut short trips. Commuters in the circular services operating in the city were the worst-hit due to the traffic blockade.

The Kochi bypass was disrupted for hours. Serpentine queues of vehicles were seen as vans and buses carrying the rally’s participants from almost all parts of the State were parked indiscriminately along the road, making movement of vehicles impossible.

Two-wheeler riders who tried to force their way through the available space on the road were roughed up by the marchers at several places. Even as the traffic came to a standstill with the marchers blatantly violating all court directives, the police deployed throughout the city remained mute spectators.

A Full Bench of the Kerala High Court, in one of its landmark decisions, had issued nine guidelines for the conduct of public demonstrations and processions in the State. However, all these guidelines were violated by the marchers.

The court had directed that the participants of demonstrations and processions should not be allowed to occupy the entire breadth of the road so as to obstruct the passage of pedestrians or vehicles along the road. It also said the processionists should not be allowed to carry lengthy banners so as to occupy the entire breadth of the road. The police should confiscate any long banners which are likely to obstruct pedestrians and vehicles, the court order had said.