Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Saturday granted permission to the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) to hold a rally at Faridkot on Sunday.
Besides, the single bench of Justice R K Jain also directed the Punjab government to provide adequate security to avoid any untoward incident in the wake of the rally.
The directions came after opposition party Friday moved the high court, seeking directions to the concerned authorities to grant permission for holding a rally.
"The court granted us the permission to hold the rally and also directed the state government to make adequate security arrangements for maintaining law and order," said Damanbir Singh Sodhi, counsel for Akali Dal.
The petitioner Akali Dal spokesperson and former minister Daljit Singh Cheema said, "The court also put a stay on the order of the Faridkot SDM who denied the permission to hold the rally."
The court also issued a notice of motion for September 17 to seek a reply of the state government.
The petitioner said it was the right to freedom of speech and expression and they be allowed to hold assembly of people for a peaceful rally.
On Friday, the district administration of Faridkot had denied Akali Dal to hold a 'Pol Khol' rally, citing apprehension of violence.
The police had apprehended that there could be violence between Akali workers and radical Sikhs protesting at Bargari about 40 km from the venue.
Earlier also on September 5, a clash took place between Akali workers and radical Sikhs in Faridkot.
On Friday, former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son SAD Chief Sukhbir Singh Badal had described as "broad daylight murder of democracy" the Punjab government decision to ban the proposed 'Pol Khol' rally.
Underfire over incidents of sacrilege during the previous regime, the SAD has planned to launch a counter offensive against the Congress government, which through the Ranjit Singh Commission report, has blamed Parkash Singh Badal of ordering the use of force on those protesting against the incidents of sacrilege at Behbal Kalan in October 2015.
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