Pune police have denied permission for an MPSC student protest near S.M. Joshi Bridge and the adjacent Patrakar Bhavan, ordering the site to be vacated immediately on grounds of traffic disruption and security concerns. Notices have been issued to 51 students and 29 private coaching and study-centre operators for allegedly continuing or supporting an unauthorised protest.
The students had gathered in Pune over various demands related to the Maharashtra Public Service Commission’s examination system and functioning. According to the report, police rejected an application for permission on Wednesday while citing directions discussed during a hearing in the Bombay High Court.
Police said the court had directed that protests on public roads, bridges and other traffic locations should not obstruct vehicular movement. The police also referred to preventive orders in force within the Pune city police commissionerate jurisdiction, stating that the agitation was continuing without prior permission.
The notices also referred to statements made during the protest about shutting down Pune, according to the police account. Authorities subsequently issued written and oral instructions asking the protesters to clear the area immediately.
The action places the protest at the intersection of examination-related grievances and the administration of public space in a congested part of the city. S.M. Joshi Bridge and the area near Patrakar Bhavan are used by daily traffic, making the location a point of concern for police responsible for maintaining movement and public order.
Police have not closed the option of a permitted protest. The administration told the students that applications could be submitted to hold the agitation at designated locations, including the area near the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar statue or behind the district collector’s office. Police said such applications would be considered positively through the prescribed process.
