Overview
- Justice M. Nagaprasanna of the Dharwad Bench issued an interim stay on the October 18 order and paused all consequential actions, with the next hearing set for November 17.
- The court said the directive prima facie takes away rights under Articles 19(1)(a) and 19(1)(b) and cannot be imposed by executive order, noting concerns under Article 13(2).
- The government order required prior permission for any gathering of 10 or more people on government or publicly funded premises and treated violations as unlawful assembly under the BNS.
- Hubballi-based Punashchetana Seva Samsthe filed the petition, arguing that the Karnataka Police Act already provides the framework to regulate public assemblies.
- Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the state will move a division bench to challenge the stay, while BJP leaders argued the order was aimed at the RSS after Minister Priyank Kharge’s letter.