GUWAHATI, Feb 13 � A division bench of the Gauhati High Court comprising Chief Justice Abhoy Monohar Sapre and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan after hearing a public interest litigation (PIL 33/2011) filed by Pankaj Bordoloi and another passed the judgment on February 12 directing the State Government to use the Judge�s Field exclusively for sports activities.
In April 2011, the petitioners had sought permission from the Deputy Commissioner Kamrup (M) for holding a public meeting of Anna Hazare at the Judge�s Field and after denial of the said permission the petitioners approached the High Court and filed the PIL seeking a direction to the State authorities to allow holding of public meetings at the Judge�s Field.
The State Government had filed an affidavit stating, inter alia, that considering the lack of playgrounds in the city it had invested substantial funds for developing the Judge�s Field for proper sports activities. The government at the appropriate level has decided to allow the use of the Judge�s Field exclusively for sports activities only and if the field is allowed to hold public meetings and other commercial activities, the same will damage the newly-laid sports structure and also create traffic congestion as well as disturbance in judicial work in the adjacent court premises.
After hearing the PIL and also after considering the stand of the State Government, the court directed the State authorities to ensure due compliance of its decision to use the Judge�s Field exclusively for sports activities.
Devajit Saikia, Additional Advocate General, Assam, who appeared for the State Government said that after the judicial pronouncement, from now onwards the concerned authorities cannot entertain any request for holding public meetings and other commercial activities in the Judge�s Field.