Overview

• Gram panchayats in Paud, Pirangut, Kolvan, Suatwadi and nearby villages issued resolutions this spring prohibiting non-local Muslims from offering namaz and entering public areas
• PUCL and APCR documented threats against Muslim shopkeepers, vendors and labourers that led to the forced closure of three long-standing bakeries and four scrap shops, one of which was burned down
• The People’s Union for Civil Liberties submitted representations to the Maharashtra chief secretary, Pune district collector, rural police superintendent, MP Supriya Sule and deputy CM Ajit Pawar demanding legal action
• Superintendent Sandeep Singh Gill said meetings with village sarpanchs on July 6 led to the removal of the unconstitutional boards and that many affected businesses have now reopened
• Legal experts note that gram panchayats lack authority to restrict entry or worship on religious grounds, underscoring the clash between communal exclusion efforts and constitutional protections