The Madras high court ordered the directorgeneral and commissioner of police Wednesday to stop Bus Day celebrations that are illegal and cause inconvenience to the public.

A bench of chief justice M.Y. Eqbal and justice T.S. Siva-gnanam said “in spite of the earlier order [dated March 2, 2011] if such an incident is repeated, it will amount to non-compliance by authorities and the college concerned“, for which appropriate proceedings may be ini procee tiated. The Madras high court on Wednesday directed the director general of police (DGP) and the commissioner of police (CoP) to stop Bus Day celebrations which causing a lot of inconvenience to the public and are illegal.

A division bench of Chief Justice M.Y. Eqbal and Justice T.S. Sivagnanam pointed to an order of March 2, 2011, not to allow students to indulge in bus day celebrations in such a manner.

“In spite of the earlier order, if such an incident is repeated, then it will amount to non-compliance of the order by the authorities and the college concerned,” said the bench.

Two public interest litigations filed by advocate V.Srinivasan and Nethaji Pokkuvarathu Thozhilalargal Pathukappu Thozhir Sangam sought a direction to the authorities to ban Bus Day celebrations and provide protection to passengers, drivers and conductors of buses operated in the state.

The bench pointed out that earlier on a PIL the authorities had been directed to inform this court about the steps taken by the government to prevent this sort of celebration. The authorities were also directed not to allow students to indulge in the Bus Day celebration and to take appropriate action against them.

However, this year also the same incident has happened on February 9. News reports in various papers reveal that about 200 students of Pachaiyappa’s College took out a procession from Koyambedu to their college on Poonamallee High Road and on entering the college started pelting stones at the public after they were refused permission to celebrate bus day. Many people, including policemen, were injured. A police vehicle and a MTC bus were also damaged.

-dc chn