PFI Strike: Kerala High Court Directs State Govt To File Report On Amount Quantified Towards Damage Of Property

The court also sought details about the arrests made by the police and the bail applications pending before various courts. It was hearing the suo motu contempt case initiated by it last month against PFI.

The Division Bench comprising Justice A.K. Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice Mohammed Nias C.P., while issuing the direction to State, adjourned the case to November 7. The court has also said that details about the recoveries initiated against the properties of the respondents ought to be stated in the affidavit. 

The PFI had called for a dawn-to-dusk hartal in the State last month, following the arrest of its leaders by the NIA. The organisation has been banned by the Ministry of Home Affaires under the UAPA.

On 23rd September, 2022, the Court observed that stringent action ought to be taken against the violators of its order dated 7th January 2019, wherein specific directions had been issued for ensuring that a call for hartal or general strike does not have the effect of affecting the fundamental rights of those who do not align with the cause of those calling for the hartal and had mandated 7-days prior notice for declaring hartal.