: In a blow to the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, the Bombay High Court on Friday termed its call for a ‘Maharashtra Bandh’ on August 24 over the Badlapur school sexual assault case as ‘illegal.’ Following the court verdict, the opposition alliance called off the bandh, but said they will protest peacefully against the Mahayuti government with black bands around their mouths across the state. The high court ruled that declaring a bandh in this way is illegal and no party has the right to call a bandh.
It also directed the Maharashtra government to take all necessary steps to prevent a bandh. The judges cited a 2004 High Court ruling which held the enforcement of bandhs or general strikes unconstitutional. A division bench of Chief Justice D.
K. Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar said if political parties and individuals were not restrained from proceeding with the call for bandh on Saturday, huge losses, not only in terms of economy and business but also essential services and basic amenities including health services will occur, which needs to be prevented. The MVA alliance had called for a bandh across the state on August 24 to protest against the alleged sexual assault of two kindergarten girls at a school in Badlapur in Thane district.
The MVA comprises the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP). “We are, prima facie, convinced that the call given by the political parties is a call to observe bandh tomorrow in the entire state of Maharashtr.