Supreme Court stays Punjab CM residence road reopening order amid security concerns
PTC Web Desk: The Supreme Court on Friday intervened in a contentious matter concerning the reopening of the road in front of the Punjab Chief Minister's residence in Chandigarh to the public. The Punjab and Haryana High Court had earlier ordered the road to be opened from May 1, prompting the Punjab Government to petition the Supreme Court for a stay on the decision.
A Bench comprising Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Dipankar Datta issued a stay on the High Court's order and also issued a notice on the Punjab Government's petition, scheduling the matter for further hearing in September.
The Supreme Court's decision to stay the Punjab and Haryana High Court's order was based on concerns raised by the Punjab Advocate General, Gurminder Singh, who argued that reopening the road could pose a significant security threat. He pointed out that the road had been closed since the 1980s due to terrorism, and recent incidents, such as the throwing of grenades at intelligence buildings and the killing of singer Sidhu Moosewala, underscored the continued security risks faced by the state.
In light of these concerns, the Supreme Court deemed it necessary to intervene and maintain the status quo until further deliberation.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court's decision to order the reopening of the road stemmed from concerns about traffic congestion and accessibility. A Bench of acting Chief Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia and Justice Lapita Banerji had directed the road to be reopened initially for 12 hours daily on all working days, starting from 7 am. The rationale behind this decision was to ease traffic congestion in the area and improve accessibility for residents.
The High Court noted that the situation had changed significantly since the 1980s when the road was initially closed due to terrorism. It highlighted the presence of a 100-foot green belt between the road and the Chief Minister's residence, as well as a slow-carriageway, suggesting that security concerns could be mitigated while addressing the needs of the public.
However, the Punjab Government, supported by the Union Territory of Chandigarh represented by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, argued vehemently against the High Court's decision. They expressed concerns over the heightened security risks faced by the Chief Minister and the potential consequences of reopening the road.
The Supreme Court initially expressed reluctance to intervene, suggesting that the public should not be inconvenienced unnecessarily. However, upon hearing the impassioned pleas of the Punjab Government and the Solicitor General, the Bench acknowledged the gravity of the security concerns and opted to stay the High Court's order.
- PTC NEWS
