Karnataka High Court stays state government order requiring prior permission for private events in government spaces. The ruling, seen as relief for RSS-linked activities, puts the Karnataka directive on hold pending further hearing.
Qalam Times News Network
Bengaluru | October 28, 2025
Karnataka has faced a legal setback after the High Court’s Dharwad Bench put an interim halt to the state government’s recent directive requiring private organisations to obtain prior approval before using government premises for events — a move widely perceived as an attempt to curb RSS-linked gatherings.
Justice M. Nagaprasanna, presiding over the single-judge bench, issued a temporary stay on the Karnataka government’s order and scheduled the matter for the next hearing on November 17.
Petitioner Calls It a Violation of Fundamental Rights
Senior advocate Ashok Haranahalli, representing Punashchaitanya Seva Samsthe, argued that the directive imposed unreasonable restrictions on citizens’ constitutional freedoms. The petitioner maintained that lawful social and cultural activities should not require excessive bureaucratic clearance, especially in a democratic framework like Karnataka’s.
Karnataka Government Order Now on Hold
The now-stayed Government Order (GO), issued earlier this month, set out strict protocols governing the use of public and government-owned properties. It prohibited private or social groups from hosting meetings, cultural events, or public programmes in schools, college grounds, or institutional spaces without explicit written consent from departmental heads.
Observers interpreted this as a measure targeting RSS-affiliated organisations. With the High Court’s intervention, however, the directive will remain suspended until further judicial review.
What Happens Next
The next hearing on November 17 will determine whether the Karnataka government can justify the order as a matter of administrative regulation — or whether it overstepped by infringing on the rights of citizens and private groups.
