HC slams EC for 'abusing power' to put curbs on bikes

KOLKATA: Calcutta HC connected Thursday slammed EC for imposing a 48-hour regularisation connected motorbikes successful Kolkata and South 24 Parganas from 6pm connected April 27, saying, "Declare an emergency.

.. Citizens' rights cannot beryllium curtailed successful this manner."Justice Krishna Rao, who was proceeding a petition challenging the order, criticised EC for "abusing its power" and called the regularisation a "drastic move".Thousands of two-wheeler users crossed the authorities expressed a corporate consciousness of alleviation pursuing the HC's intervention. For Kolkata's middle-class commuters - and particularly gig-economy workers - the court's scepticism was hailed arsenic a triumph for the communal citizen.

Across Kolkata's large intersections, bikers connected Thursday noted that the tribunal yet voiced the questions they had been asking since the notification was archetypal issued.

EC had connected April 21 announced that starting 6pm connected April 27, 1 could thrust a motorcycle lone from 6am to 6pm till polls ended connected April 29. Pillion-riding and motorcycle rallies were banned during the period. Medical emergencies, household functions and indispensable services were exempt from the curbs.

EC said the regularisation had been imposed to behaviour "free, fair, peaceful and violence-free" polls and to support a "conducive ambiance for voters" and to forestall "untoward incidents, intimidation oregon root jamming".Addressing the lawyer representing EC, Justice Rao said, "Show wherever specified notifications are issued successful different states. Just due to the fact that the Election Commission has powerfulness doesn't mean thing tin beryllium done. Citizens are being harassed...

You person a constabulary medication and CCTV, truthful what's the request for this? Shut everything down. You've issued a notification. On what basis? Where is the precedent? Provide references. This is an unreasonable effort to halt everything for truthful long."Asking the EC to taxable an affidavit connected Friday explaining the rationale for the restriction, the justice said, "Why isn't your authorization declaring an emergency? Declare an exigency 2 days anterior and behaviour the election. This implies the authorities' failure. Citizens' rights cannot beryllium curtailed successful this manner. Then prohibition cars, too. People tin inactive origin occupation with bombs and arms."Justice Rao besides sought to cognize the fig of FIRs registered against motorcyclists successful the past 5 years.