C.W.P.NO.10527 OF 2007. ::-1-:: IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATES OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH CWP NO. 10527 of 2007. Date of decision: December 10th,2008. Swami Hari Har Dass Tyagi Petitioner in person Versus State of Punjab & ors. Respondents through Mr.H.S.Sidhu,Addl.AG, Punjab, for respondents 1 to 3. Mr. A.R.Takkar, Advocate, for respondent No.4. CORAM: HON’BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE; HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE SURYA KANT. .. 1. Whether Reporters of local papers may be allowed to see the judgment? 2. To be referred to the Reporters or not? 3. Whether the judgment should be reported in the Digest? SURYA KANT, J. This writ petition is purported to have been filed in Public Interest. The petitioner, who introduces himself as the President of Jagadguru Sri Ramanandacharya Sarva Jan Hitkari Charitable Trust [Regd.] at Jalandhar seeks a Mandamus for complete prohibition and ban on any kind of Social, Religious and Political procession or Sobha Yatras in the heart of as also on the Circular Road of Jalandhar City. He also seeks a direction that the Social/Religious/Political processions or Sobha Yatras should compulsorily be allowed to be held only in public or municipal grounds on the same pattern as Dushera ceremonies are held in Jalandhar City. C.W.P.NO.10527 OF 2007. ::-2-:: To substantiate his claim, the petitioner has averred that the Circular Road which runs through the heart of the City [Sri Ram Chowk, Milap Chowk, Phagwara Gate, Khingra Gate, Adda Hoshiarpur, Adda Tanda and Jyoti Chowk etc.], remains flooded throughout the year with Social/Regligious/Political processions or Sobha Yatras occasioned at Ram Naumi, Maha Shiv Ratri, Janamashtmi, Geeta Jayanti, Balmiki Jayanti, Guru Ravi Dass Jayanti etc. These processions/Sobha Yatras are allegedly held by two rival organizations and are a constant source of traffic blockade thereby causing extreme inconvenience to the general public. According to the petitioner, these processions/Sobha Yatras are harmful to the school-going children due to their noise pollution as also to the sick who can not be moved to a hospital for treatment in case of some emergency. The alleged plight of the shopkeepers who are unable to sell their goods due to 'no access to their customers', has also been highlighted by the petitioner. It, however, requires special mention that the entire thrust of the pleadings rests upon the alleged rivalry between two social/religious organizations which, according to the petitioner, spend lacs of rupees on these processions/Sobha Yatras. It may be noticed here that when this petition came up for motion hearing, the learned counsel representing the petitioner confined his prayer to the extent of alleged inconvenience caused to the public by the Social, Religious and Political processions/Sobha Yatras, in particular, in the congested City of Jalandhar. Their respective counter-affidavits have been filed by the C.W.P.NO.10527 OF 2007. ::-3-:: District Magistrate and Senior Superintendent of Police, Jalandhar as well as the Assistant Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Jalandhar. The District Magistrate has explained that the processions/Sobha Yatras are organized by different Organizations and not by only one or two rival groups as alleged by the petitioner. It is asserted that as and when these processions/Sobha Yatras are organized, adequate traffic arrangements are made by the police and no business activity is allowed to be affected. It has been categorically stated that no complaint whatsoever has ever been received from any quarters for causing inconvenience or hardship to the general public or to the students etc. The SSP, Jalandhar in his counter-affidavit has further explained that loudspeakers are not permitted without prior permission and use thereof is controlled under the Noise Pollution Control Act. He has further deposed that no incident of inconvenience to any sick person has ever been reported. The allegations of rivalry between the two groups or any show of power and strength by any one of them have been denied for want of knowledge. Having heard the petitioner in person as also the learned counsel for the respondents at some length, we are of the considered view that no case for issuing any directions to the authorities to stop the processions/Sobha Yatras or to restrict such activities within the public/municipal grounds is made out. It appears to us that the processions/Sobha Yatras are being occasionally held by more than one social/religious organizations as a move to awaken the general public to the rich social, religious and culture heritage of this country. C.W.P.NO.10527 OF 2007. ::-4-:: So long as such activities are being carried out in a regulated manner and within the permissible limits, as asserted by the respondents, no interference by this Court in such like social or religious activities, is called for especially in its public interest jurisdiction. Besides this, except a bald assertion along with a few photographs depicting installation of hoardings on the road sides, the petitioner has brought nothing on record that the student-community, patients or the shopkeepers have ever complained to the authorities or registered their protest against such activities. We, therefore, find no merit in this petition which is accordingly dismissed. However, in the facts and circumstances of the case, the parties are left to bear their own costs. [ SURYA KANT ] JUDGE December 10 ,2008. [ T.S.THAKUR ] dinesh CHIEF JUSTICE