The Karnataka high court on Tuesday stayed the state government’s controversial order that restricted gatherings of more than 10 people in public or government-owned spaces, terming it a “prima facie violation” of citizens’ fundamental rights.
The order, issued on October 18 by the home department, classified such congregations in places like parks, playgrounds, lakes, and roads as “unlawful assemblies” under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Justice M. Nagaprasanna of the Dharwad bench observed that the government “cannot bypass legislative processes” through administrative orders and questioned whether the state was “trying to achieve something else” with the directive.
The interim stay came in response to a petition filed by the Hubballi-based NGO Punashchetana Seva Samsthe.
The bench directed the state to file its reply and posted the next hearing for November 17.
The order had drawn sharp criticism amid ongoing tensions between the Congress government and the RSS over public space usage.
