SHILLONG: The High Court of Meghalaya has issued a notice to defence authorities on a petition demanding opening of the closed cantonment roads to civilians.
The court in its order on May 3 said the matter will come up for hearing after four weeks.
A few years ago, the defence authorities had closed the roads from Rhino Point to Police Bazar and the famous Lady Keane School and College, another small road from Anjalee Cinema Hall which ends near Shani Mandir, Police Bazar.
The petition filed by Agnes Kharshiing through lawyer MF Qureshi said the roads were closed illegally as it is against Article 19(1)(d) of the Constitution, which states that citizens can move freely throughout the territory of India.
The roads were closed without following Section 258 of the Cantonment Board, which states that the authorities must issue public notice inviting claims and objections before closing any road.
The defence authorities had in the past cited security reasons for closing the roads.
The petitioner also pointed out that the defence authorities are not allowing the vehicles to pass through the cantonment road from Rhino point resulting in traffic congestion on the Rhino Cinema Hall point as it takes hours to reach Shillong Civil Hospital.
“There were instances of military police misbehaving with drivers who attempt to pass through the restricted road while the Meghalaya traffic police controlling the traffic on the main road remain a mute spectator,” the petitioner said.
The petitioner pointed out that the Shillong Cantonment Board was in favour of opening the roads to proceed towards Police Bazar, Lady Keane College and Civil Hospital either on foot or by vehicles but the president of the Cantonment Board had ordered to close the roads ignoring the resolution of the Cantonment Board.
The petitioner reminded that a similar issue was decided by the Division Bench of the Karnataka High Court.
