Party to pay for 'bandh' damages

The state government will henceforth recover damages suffered during bandhs from those who call the bandh.

Assistant government pleader Pradeep Patil told the Bombay High Court that section 51 of the Bombay Police Act had been amended by the state government as of January 2009 and the persons or parties calling the bandhs would now be made liable to pay the damages incurred. 

The high court had earlier directed the police to take preventive measures to stop political parties from calling bandhs and disrupting normal life. They were also directed to issue notices to leaders calling for the same.  

On January 21, the court had asked the state government to amend the existing rules under the Act to include the guidelines issued by the HC. The judges also said that leaders, who give the call for bandhs to their followers, should be held vicariously responsible for the damage and disruption.

Justice JN Patel and DY Chandrachud, however, asked the state government if other directions passed by the high court had been incorporated by the state in the amendment to the Act. Advocate for the petitioner Uday Warunjikar said that the court had also asked the government to frame guildelines to prevent and handle bandhs, which should have been included in the amendment in the law.

The principal secretary of the home department has now been directed to file an affidavit stating further steps taken by the government in this regard in four weeks.