Activate your machinery to stop rallies, or else we will do it: Bombay High Court warns Maharashtra government

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday took exception to State politicians and ministers permitting rallies during the COVID-19 pandemic without following protocol and warned of judicial intervention in the event the rallies are not stopped (Nilesh Navlakha v. Union of India & Ors)..A Bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice GS Kulkarni told Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni to convey to the "political machinery" to "not run political rallies" during the pandemic. "If you cannot do it, the Court will do it" CJ Datta warned..He added that even as courts were shut because of COVID-19 State politicians continued to hold rallies in the middle of a pandemic."The Courts are shut because of COVID; we are not able to work and politicians are conducting rallies. Can they not wait?" CJ Datta said..The Court took specific exception to a massive rally held last week in which thousands of people demanded renaming of an airport in Mumbai."And we were expecting 500 people, but there were 25,000 people. And the rally was for what purpose? For naming an airport. Is the airport functional? No. First they want name and then an airport!" CJ Datta commented. .Advocate Rajesh Inamdar, appearing for the petitioner Nilesh Navlakha, submitted that he came across rallies being held pertaining to Maratha reservation as well.CJ Datta remarked that since the review petition of the Central government was pending in the Supreme Court, it was appropriate for everyone to wait for the verdict in the petition."The issue is pending in Supreme Court, let them take a decision. What is the government going to do about it? Why not wait for the court's decision...why the politicians could not go before their electorate and say that the issue is pending before the Supreme Court?" he asked..The Aurangabad Bench had also taken exception to politicians and ministers organising public events despite Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's appeal to comply with COVID-19 protocol..[COVID-19] Chief Minister working tirelessly but ministers holding physical functions: Bombay HC prohibits public functions by MLAs, ministers ."Would heavens fall if such programs are postponed in light of the above order?" the Court asked.If ministers themselves refuse to support the lockdown restrictions, then the only solution, according to the Bench, would be to order that such functions should not be held till the lockdown restrictions are eased by the State, the Court said.