Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has delivered a setback to the Congress government by granting an interim stay on its recent order banning RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) activities and Path Sanchalans (route marches) in public spaces and government lands across the state.
Hearing a petition filed by Punashchetana Seva Samsthe, Justice M. Nagaprasanna of the Dharwad Bench of the High Court issued notices to the State Government, the Home Department, and the Hubballi Police Commissioner, seeking an explanation on the rationale behind the controversial order.
The government’s circular, issued on October 18, 2025, had stated that any gathering of more than 10 persons without prior permission would be treated as an illegal assembly, effectively barring RSS route marches and other public events. The order had also restricted entry to roads, parks, public grounds, and lakes, citing powers derived under the Karnataka Police Act.
However, the High Court observed that the order appeared to infringe upon citizens’ fundamental rights guaranteed under Article 19(1)(A) and 19(1)(B) of the Constitution — the freedom of speech, expression, and peaceful assembly. The bench noted that no executive order can override constitutional rights.
Meanwhile, the Kalaburagi Bench of the High Court is separately hearing a case concerning an RSS Path Sanchalan in Chittapur, where the government has been asked to submit a detailed report by October 30 on the local situation before any further decision is taken.
Legal experts suggest that the Dharwad Bench’s interim stay on the broader state order may influence the Kalaburagi Bench’s final ruling, as both cases hinge on the legality of the government’s restrictions on public gatherings under the police law.
The High Court’s intervention is seen as a significant victory for the RSS, which had termed the government’s restrictions as an “undemocratic curb on constitutional freedoms.”
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