HITO demands withdrawal of order imposing 144 CrPC in EKH during counting of votes

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMay 28, 2024

The Hynniewtrep Integrated Territorial Organization (HITO) on Tuesday demanded the deputy commissioner of East Khasi Hills District to withdraw his recent order to impose section 144 CrPC in entire district in view of the upcoming counting of votes for the general elections to the 18th Lok Sabha, which will be held on June 4.

In a letter to DC SC Sadhu, HITO president Donbok Dkhar said that the order dated May 23, which stated that “No victory procession/rallies by any candidate/political parties after the declaration of result shall be permissible within East Khasi Hills District” – is however, entirely in contravention to the citizens’ fundamental rights as envisaged in Article 14 and 19 of the Constitution of India, and other democratic rights of the citizens of the state, and as observed in various decisions of the Supreme Court of India.

He said that the order appears to be disproportionate and unwarranted. “That by way of the said order dated 23-05-2024, a blanket ban has been imposed any rally or procession, etc, in the entire district, without any reasonable justification and the same is legally untenable and uncalled for. Moreover, the said order has been passed without taking into confidence and/or deliberating the said issue with the concerned stakeholders and as a result, people at large, are being made to suffer without any reason,” he stated.

Dkhar also pointed out that “In the present situation, there has been no such incident of violence and the mere apprehension of any such incident is unwarranted and unreasonable, but however, as a result of the said order dated 23-05-2024, the entire population of East Khasi Hills district is being deprived of their rights to freedom of expression and movement and to carry out peaceful assembly, meetings, rallies, etc. and whereas peaceful protests, rallies, processions, etc are always held without any breach of law and order by various persons, groups, organizations, etc., all across the city,” Dkhar said.

“Therefore, in consideration of the above, the undersigned request your good office to relook into the entire matter and withdrawn/recalled/rescinded the said order dated 23-05-2024 so that the democratic rights and aspirations of the innocent citizens are not interfered with without any fault on their part,” he stated in the letter.