Overview

• Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Sandeep Marne ruled that Manoj Jarange cannot stage a protest at Azad Maidan without prior permission and issued him a notice in a PIL hearing.
• The bench said demonstrations must be confined to designated sites and indicated the government may offer Kharghar in Navi Mumbai as an alternative venue.
• Citing Ganesh Chaturthi crowd‑management demands starting August 27, the court noted that large gatherings could overburden Mumbai Police during the festival.
• An Officer on Special Duty from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s office met Jarange in Jalna seeking a postponement, but Jarange said he will depart for Mumbai on August 27 and begin a hunger strike on August 29.
• The government points to a 10% Maratha quota announced last year, while Jarange demands OBC recognition for Marathas as Kunbis and says he will seek legal relief and hold a peaceful agitation; the case returns to court on September 9.