India: Bombay High Court rejects Team Anna plea for on venue for fast

Mumbai, Dec 23 (PTI) In a setback to the team headed by social activist Anna Hazare spearheading the cause of an 'empowered' ombudsman in India, the Bombay High Court today rejected its petition for direction to the Maharashtra state government for allotting the MMRDA ground in the western Indian city for free or at concessional rates for Hazare's proposed three-day fast from December 27, saying it cannot come to the conclusion as to whether the agitation was in public interest or politically motivated. The court also said it cannot direct the government to open the gates to the enclosed area at Azad Maidan in the city, another probable venue for the proposed fast, to allow Team Anna larger space for the protest. Hazare is planning to undertake the three-day fast in Delhi, in support of his demand for a 'people's' Lokpal. Mumbai is being considered as an alternative in case the weather conditions in Delhi get to be too cold. "We are afraid that such issues cannot be decided by the court. This court cannot come to the conclusion as to whether this agitation is in public interest or politically motivated," a division bench of Justices P B Majmudar and Mridula Bhatkar observed while rejecting the petition filed by Jagrut Nagrik Manch, an affiliate of Hazare's India Against Corruption. "It cannot be said that the petitioners have undertaken a national event for the MMRDA to exempt them from rent for the ground," Justice Majmudar said. The court said another ground for rejecting the plea was that the petitioner was not a registered social organisation, a mandatory requirement for seeking concession from MMRDA. The state government had earlier informed the court that the deputy director of Maharashtra's Sports and Youth Welfare Services Department had refused to open the gates to the enclosed area in Azad Maidan as it would ruin the 22 cricket pitches on the ground. Earlier in the day, Team Anna came in for a scathing criticism by the court for its proposed agitation against the Lokpal Bill with the bench saying it cannot allow "parallel canvassing" when Parliament is seized with debate on the legislation. "We can't allow parallel canvassing when Parliament is seized with debate on the bill. You can propagate the bill sitting at home. Till now the bill has not been passed. No one knows what form and what features it will have. Is public debate permissible at this stage?," the court asked. Disapproving of the agitation despite the Lokpal Bill being tabled in Parliament, Justice Majmudar asked, "How is the country's interest involved? We are a democratic set up. We have elected a government. Wouldn't your agitation interfere in the functioning of Parliament? The bill will be debated in Parliament where our elected representatives will plead our case". The court further said that as Judges they had taken an oath to uphold the Constitution and law. "Under which law are you (petitioner) asking for exemption? It might be Satyagraha for you but for some other factions it might be a nuisance," it said. PTI