A protest at Pune’s S.M. Joshi Bridge near Patrakar Bhavan faces a 12-hour removal demand from two petitioners in a Bombay High Court case, who have warned of contempt proceedings if the gathering continues in the manner alleged in their notice.
The notice, dated October 9, was issued to Pramod Dattatray Patil by Amit Balu Supekar and Sourabh P. Virkar, petitioners in Writ Petition No. 13357 of 2026. It seeks the removal of the ongoing protest from the bridge and adjoining road after the petitioners said the site was continuing to affect residents and commuters.
According to the notice, the petition was filed on October 6 over protests allegedly being held without permission on Pune’s public roads and bridges. The petitioners said Patil’s counsel, Mayur Khandeparkar, assured the Bombay High Court during the October 7 hearing that Patil would seek a suitable alternative protest site from the authorities, if required, and would not cause inconvenience to the public.
The notice further states that the court recorded assurances that protests would be conducted lawfully at locations for which permission had been obtained, without blockading public roads or bridges. It also says the court directed the State to take reasonable steps to maintain the free flow of traffic.
The petitioners have cited a separate October 7 communication from the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Special Branch, Pune City. According to the notice, the police had refused permission for the protest at Ladkat Chowk and S.M. Joshi Bridge and directed that the site be vacated immediately. The communication reportedly indicated that a written application for an alternative venue, including the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar statue premises or the Pune Collector’s Office, would be considered favourably.
The petitioners allege that a large gathering continued to obstruct the bridge and adjoining road on October 9. They also allege that loudspeakers were used between approximately 2 a.m. and 3 a.m., residents faced restrictions on movement, and ambulances were stopped and checked before being allowed to pass. These allegations are contained in the petitioners’ notice as reported by Punekar News and have not been independently established in the supplied report.
The notice demands the removal of the gathering or its relocation to an authorised site, unobstructed passage for emergency vehicles, compliance with applicable noise rules and a written response from Patil’s advocate detailing the steps taken. The petitioners have said they will approach the High Court and initiate contempt proceedings if the protest continues beyond the stipulated period in the manner alleged.
The next hearing in the writ petition is scheduled for November 25, 2026. The immediate issue before the authorities is whether the protest will be shifted to an approved alternative location and whether access across the bridge will remain unobstructed.
