No loudspeakers, stage at puja, says Delhi HC

New Delhi: The Delhi high court on Tuesday asked the police to ensure that no one uses stage and loudspeaker at a South Delhi ground for Chhath Puja by two organisers and maintain law and order.

The court said that public address system should be used only by the police to address the large number of people gathered at the Chhath ground in Aya Nagar.

“This court is of the view that the Delhi government may consider the suggestion made by district magistrate (South) last year and implement it in the present season,” Justice Vibhu Bakhru said.

The court also asked additional commissioner of police (licensing) to immediately issue an advisory directing that no person is allowed to use stage and public address system, which should only be used by the police to address the public to maintain law and order.

The court passed the order while disposing a plea filed by Poorvanchal Chhath and Sanskritik Vikas Samiti, a registered society which claimed to be organising Chhath Puja for people of Bihar and eastern UP for the last 24 years.

The samiti, in its petition filed through advoca-te Ritesh Singh, sought direction prohibiting the police from issuing licence to another society — Poorvanchal Sanskri-tik and Samajik Vikas Manch — for organising the puja at the ground on October 26 and 27. It said the ground was not large enough to accomodate two organisers and may create law and order problem.