Kerala High Court Mulls Suo Moto Contempt Action Against Organisers, Persons Who Attended CPI(M) Area Conference By Blocking Road
Tellmy Jolly
16 Dec 2024 1:24 PM IST
The Kerala High Court today noted that 40,821 road accidents occurred in the State this year up till October 2024, in which 3,168 persons died and 45,657 persons sustained injuries.
The Court is thus set to consider whether suo moto contempt proceedings should be initiated against persons who conducted and attended CPI(M) party's area conference in Vanchiyoor, by obstructing roads on December 05, 2024.
The Division bench of Justice Anil K.Narendran and Justice Muralee Krishna S was hearing the contempt petition filed against against CPI(M) State Secretary M V Govindan for leading the party area conference by allegedly blocking public roads.
“…As per the statistics provided on the official website of Kerala Police, the number of road accidents in Kerala in the year 2024 up to October is 40,821 in which 3,168 persons died and 45, 657 persons sustained injuries. The rash and negligent driving in the State has gone to the extent of causing accidents in which even pedestrians walking through the footpaths or waiting in the pedestrian facilities of public roads sustain fatal injuries. In such circumstances the question as to whether a suo moto proceedings of contempt, under Article 215 of the Constitution of India for openly flouting the directions contained in the order and judgment of this Court in WPC No.11886 of 2021 requires consideration,” the bench said.
In the last hearing, the Court had directed the State Police Chief to submit a report regarding the incident. Today, a report was placed on record furnishing the names of persons who attended the Party Conference, along with names of persons who were on the stage.
The Court noted that blocking roads and obstructing transportation and movement of pedestrians would attract penal consequences under the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Motor Vehicles Act. The Court noted that accidents are increasing in the State, and the construction of unauthorized structures on roads would further elevate the risk of accidents for pedestrians.
Court orally said, “Person who is attending a public meeting on a stage put up on a public road has to face the consequence, or organizers and persons who attended it must face the consequences….They should face the consequences, we will see how to handle these types of issues.”
As such, the matter has been posted for further consideration on December 18.
Case Title: N Prakash v M V Govindan Master
Case Number: Con Case (C) No. 3252/2024
