Why can’t Adityanath be prosecuted for hate speech, Supreme Court asks UP govt
New Delhi, Aug 20 : The Supreme Court on Monday sought response from Uttar Pradesh government on a plea challenging an order of Allahabad high Court order which had dismissed a petition seeking prosecution of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in a hate speech case of 2007.
A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud issued notice to the state government and the District Magistrate of Gorakhpur and posted the matter after four weeks for hearing.
Petitioner Rasheed Khan has challenged the high court order which had upheld the Uttar Pradesh government's refusal to grant sanction to prosecute Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Earlier this year, the Allahabad High Court had upheld a sessions court order which had quashed a magistrate's order taking cognizance of the chargesheet filed by the police in 2009.
The High Court had said that sessions court was right in holding that there was no prosecution sanction to initiate trial against the Chief Minister and others in the case.
In January 2017, the sessions court in Gorakhpur had quashed the magistrate court's cognisance order. The sessions court had said that there was no sanction to prosecute the accused, including Adityanath and others.
The Uttar Pradesh government had in May 2017 refused to grant the mandatory sanction for the prosecution of the Chief Minister. Several incidents of violence were reported in Gorakhpur on January 27, 2007, after the alleged hate speech of Adityanath.
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Karnataka govt directs municipal corps to regulate, prohibit pigeon feeding
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has issued directions to municipal corporations across the state to regulate and prohibit feeding pigeons in public places, citing serious public health concerns.
Deputy Secretary to Government V Lakshmikanth has written to the Urban Development Department requesting it to issue directions to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and all municipal corporations to take immediate steps to implement the measures.
In an official note dated December 16 issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department and released to the media on Wednesday, the department said uncontrolled feeding of pigeons in public places has resulted in large congregations of birds, excessive droppings and serious health concerns, particularly respiratory illnesses linked to prolonged exposure to pigeon droppings and feathers such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis and other lung diseases.
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"The commissioner, the Greater Bengaluru Authority and the Commissioners and chief officers of other municipal corporations shall take necessary action to mitigate the causes of dangerous disease spread by pigeon and enforce specified guidelines in their respective jurisdiction," the note said.
According to the department, these include a prohibition on feeding pigeons or causing pigeons to be fed in areas where it may cause nuisance or pose a health hazard to the public. Pigeon feeding shall be permitted only in designated areas in a controlled manner, subject to certain conditions.
"The designated areas may be selected in consultation with stakeholders. The responsibility for upkeep of the designated areas and compliance to the directions shall be taken up by some charitable organisation or an NGO. The feeding in designated areas shall be permitted only for some limited hours in the day," it said.
The note further stated that authorised officers of local authorities shall issue on-the-spot warnings and may impose fines for violation of the order, or lodge complaints to prosecute offenders under Sections 271 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 272 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
It also directed local authorities to conduct public awareness campaigns, including the display of signboards, banners and digital messages, explaining the health hazards associated with pigeon droppings and feathers, the content of the regulatory directions and penalties for violations, and alternative humane methods of bird conservation that do not endanger public health.
