'Celebrating Birthdays In Middle Of Road Has Become A Fashion': Chhattisgarh HC Takes Suo Moto Cognizance Of Raipur Incident

The Chhattisgarh High Court has taken suo moto cognizance of a news report published in Hindi daily Dainik Bhaskar concerning an incident from Raipur, a video of which has also gone viral on social media. The incident involved a birthday celebration where a car was parked in the middle of the road near Raipura Chowk in Raipur. According to the news report, fireworks were set off after the cake was cut, and a long queue of vehicles formed on the road during these activities. Taking suo moto note of the newspaper report, a bench of Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Ravindra Kumar Agrawal directed the Chief Secretary, Government of Chhattisgarh, to file his personal affidavit in the matter, informing as to what action has been taken against the delinquents and what action is being proposed to be taken. The Chief Secretary has also been asked to indicate what preventive actions the State proposes to take to prevent this kind of nuisance from occurring on the roads in the future. In its order raising serious concerns regarding the trend of celebrating birthdays in the middle of the road, the division bench observed thus: “Roads are public property and not personal property and that has been used by the delinquents as if they owned the said place. It is beyond understanding as to what prevented the police authorities to take immediate and stringent action against those delinquents. The trend of celebrating birthdays in the middle of the road has become a fashion now a days and just for fun and getting views on various social media platforms, the roads are being used and misused by hooligans and antisocial elements which in turn is creating a dangerous situation for the commuters and can lead to any bigger mishap”. The Court added that there could have been a situation when any Ambulance carrying any patient had to go cross that place, and because of the blockade being created by the delinquents celebrating their birthday, the patient could have died on the road because of the nuisance being created by them. The Court also considered the news report, which stated that the boy whose birthday was being celebrated was the son of a businessman who owns a supermarket, and the businessman was also present during the celebration. The Court also rebuked the conduct of the state authorities, especially the police personnel, as highly objectionable. It noted that the offenders were left scot-free just by imposing a fine of Rs. 300/—for blocking the road and another Rs. 300/—for the fireworks. “It seems that the police shows its might, and the rule of law is made applicable only to the poor people and helpless people, but when the offender is a rich person, rules and regulations are given a go-bye,” the Court remarked. The Court also termed it a mockery of law and order as neither the vehicle was seized nor strict action was taken against the offenders. Such conduct of the authorities of the State will act as a morale booster for such people, the Court observed as it sought an affidavit of the chief secretary and posted the matter for hearing next on February 6.

'Celebrating Birthdays In Middle Of Road Has Become A Fashion': Chhattisgarh HC Takes Suo Moto Cognizance Of Raipur Incident

Sparsh Upadhyay

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