A day after a district magistrate (DM) imposed a blanket ban on protests and public gatherings in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir, a court on Tuesday (February 11) set aside the “imperialistic” order saying that peaceful protest was “integral part of healthy democracy”. https://thewire.in/law/protests-part-of-healthy-democracy-kishtwar-court-stays-dm-order-banning-public-gatherings
In its order, the court of principal sessions judge in Kishtwar said that the section 163 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, can’t be invoked on “flimsy grounds in the absence of substantial material on record”.
“A blanket ban (on protests) in the whole district (of Kishtwar) impeaches upon the basic fundamental freedom of the citizens and smacks (of) imperialistic attitude and could not stand the test of reason,” the court said, while staying the order.
by Jehangir Ali
12/02/2025