BANDHS PENALISED
AGNI Chairman, Mr. B. G. Deshmukh, and Convenor, Mr. Gerson da Cunha, with other eminent citizens and affected person, won a lanmar decision in the Bombay High Court against those calling and executing bandhs. Such parties will now be held responsible for the economic loss and damage caused and may no longer violate the citizen's fundamental right to work.
The bench ordered the political parties responsible for the bandh of July 30, 2003 in Mumbai to pay exemplary damages of Rs. 20 lakhs each into a government fund to benefit the city.
Government undertook in court, among other things, to place on notice any group calling a bandh, to effect preventive detentions and to videotape acts of violence and intimidation.
Petitioners have distinguished betwen a worker's right to strike and a party intimidating a city into refraining from work, to make a political point.
The political parties are in appeal in the Supreme Court.
During the year-long pendency of the case, no bandhs were called in Mumbai.
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