HC refuses to allow Owaisi to conduct poll campaign

The High Court on Tuesday rejected the interim prayer of All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) seeking directions to allow Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi to participate in BBMP election campaign which was scheduled for Tuesday.

During the hearing, Advocate General submitted that the venue Chhota Maidan was a communally sensitive area and the government had decided not to allow any kind of political meetings there till the completion of Palike polls.

He said that the police commissioner had rejected the application of Owaisi as 37 cases had been booked against him for delivering inflammatory speeches. The AG also pointed out that the petitioner had not approached the appropriate authority seeking permission.

Justice A S Bopanna passed an order stating that since the returning officer had also rejected the application to hold the election campaign, no direction could be issued by the Court at this stage to permit the petitioner to hold the meeting. 

The Court also directed the petitioner to submit appropriate application to the returning officer and to the police department under the provisions of Karnataka Police Act, 1963, and also to the owner of the ground.  The returning officer, after securing necessary input from the police can take a decision to issue permit.

The AIMIM had challenged the order of City Police Commissioner banning the entry of Owaisi and three other leaders into City.  Owaisi was to attend an election campaign at Chota Maidan in Shivajinagar on Tuesday.