The Allahabad High Court today ordered Lucknow¡¯s District Magistrate and Commissioner of Police to immediately remove hoarding with photographs and addresses of alleged anti-CAA protestors, put up by the Uttar Pradesh government.
The court said the state¡¯s action amounted to ¡°violation of Article 21 of Constitution¡± and ¡°amounts to unwarranted interference in privacy of people¡±.
The court cited privacy to be "intrinsic component¡± of Part III of Constitution of India that lays down our fundamental rights relating to equality, freedom of speech and expression, freedom of movement and protection of life and personal liberty.
¡°These fundamental rights cannot be given or taken away by law and laws. All the executive actions must abide by them,¡± the court observed.
¡°In the instant matter the act of the district and police administration of Lucknow is alleged to be in conflict with the right of life and liberty,¡± the court said.
Taking suo motu cognisance of the hoardings on Sunday, the division bench comprising Chief Justice Govind Mathur and Justice Ramesh Sinha pulled up the Uttar Pradesh government and termed the act "highly unjust" and an "encroachment on personal liberty".
The Lucknow district administration had installed hoardings with photos and addresses of 53 anti-CAA protesters at prominent crossings across the city.
The posters read these are the people who had damaged public property under the pretext of protests. It added that the property of the accused will be confiscated if they fail to pay the compensation.