Mahadayi Issue: Karnataka High Court Declares 4 February Bengaluru Bandh ‘Unconstitutional’

The Karnataka High Court has come down heavily on the Bengaluru bandh called by Vatal Nagraj, declaring it ‘unconstitutional’ and directing the state government to ensure that the day-to-day lives of the people in the city are not interfered with by goons, The Hindu has reported.

The high court bench passed the order in relation with a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) submitted to the court arguing that such such bandhs have no logic and disrupt the everyday lives of people along with destruction of property.

The bench has ruled that no organisation has the right to call for a bandh and that the state government must adhere to a previous Supreme Court ruling in this regard.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Bengaluru on 4 February, and the organisations calling for the bandh were seeking his intervention into the Mahadayi issue, despite the issue essentially being handled by the two states with the state governments already co-ordinating on it.

The state Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) unit has welcomed the court’s directive.

PM Modi is visiting the city for the conclusion of the Parivarthana Yatra by the party’s state unit in the run up to the the polls to be held later this year.

The state had already witnessed a bandh on 25 January regarding the issue.

Also Read: Mahadayi River Dispute: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah Accused Of Politicising Issue