Bombay HC gives an earful to noisy Kala Ghoda festival

Mumbai: The Bombay high court on Monday pulled up the organisers of the Kala Ghoda festival after the noise from the loudspeakers used for the festival created a disturbance in the court’s proceedings.

According to HC officials, since the court is in the silent zone, use of loudspeakers within 100-metre radius is barred. The HC asked the police to take action against the festival.

However, according to the police, the loudspeakers were installed at the Kala Ghoda traffic junction, which is 300-m away from the HC and thus was not in violation of the silence zone rules.  Following the HC rap, the organisers changed the direction of the speakers so that the sound did not permeate into the court premises. The Azad Maidan police also placed constables at the festival venue to ensure that the volume was kept within the permissible decibel limits. “A silence zone is spread in 100 meters. Any area beyond that can use loud speakers after taking due permission,” said Manoj Sharma, deputy commissioner of police, (zone I).

According to officials from the court of Justice G S Patel, at around 1 pm the sound of music was heard in the courtroom as a result of which the proceedings were stopped.

Justice Patel called the police and told them to stop the sound. “The venue of the festival is barely 300-400 meters from the HC and as the silent zone rule stipulates that loudspeakers cannot be used within a radius of 500 meters, the police was directed to get the same stopped,” said the official.

The official added that apart from Justice Patel, the judges from other courts had also complained of the noise.  

Senior inspector Keshav Shingale from Bombay high court confirmed that the court had asked the police to do something about the ruckus being created by the festival. “I informed Azad Maidan police station and they immediately sent constables to stop the cacophony,” said Mr Shingale.

According to a senior advocate a strong wind was blowing in the afternoon and that could have been the reason for the noise from the festival permeating into the courtrooms.