Karnataka High Court Halts Controversial Government Order Affecting Private Organizations

Court Intervention on Government Directive

In a significant setback for the Congress government led by Siddaramaiah, the Karnataka High Court's Dharwad bench has issued a stay on a government order that mandated private organizations to obtain prior permission before conducting activities in government premises. This directive was widely perceived as an attempt to curb the activities of the RSS within the state. Justice Nagaprasanna, presiding over the single-judge bench, has temporarily suspended this order, with the next hearing scheduled for November 17. The government's move, seen as an effort to restrict RSS-related activities, will remain on hold until the upcoming hearing.

Legal Challenge Against the Government Order

The petition challenging the government's directive was filed by the Pushchaitanya Service Organization, which argued that the order infringes upon the rights of private organizations to conduct legitimate activities. The now-stayed government order, issued earlier this month, provided specific guidelines for the use of public and government properties.

Restrictions Imposed by the Order

The order stipulated that no private or social organization could hold events, meetings, or cultural programs in government schools, college campuses, or other institutional premises without written permission from the heads of the relevant departments. Additionally, it instructed district administrations to ensure compliance with the Karnataka Land Revenue and Education Acts and to take action against any violations.