The Andhra Pradesh government has issued an government order (GO) barring public meetings or assembly on roads or roadside, both national and state highways as well narrow municipal or Panchayat roads, in the the state following the stampede during a TDP roadshow at Kandukuru town of Nellore district which left eight people dead.

The direction is likely to hit the TDP hard as party chief N Chandrababu Naidu has been holding small roadshows in every district ahead of the 2024 elections. His son Nara Lokesh is all set to launch a padayatra called Yuva Galam while Jana Sena leader Pawan Kalyan has plans to tour the state on Varahi, a camper van for his poll campaign.

The GO has been carefully worded apprehending legal scrutiny since Opposition parties might move court.

“It is noted that in such roadside meetings, in which people congregate on road margins crowd control is not effectively undertaken due to narrow roads, absence of multiple exit points and sudden surge of the crowd towards the Speaker, unregulated number of participants, last minute changes to the location etc,” read the government order (GO) issued by principal secretary (Home), Harish Kumar Gupta.

The GO mentioned the loss of eight lives during Naidu’s road show at Kandukuru in Nellore. While acknowledging Article 19(I)(b) of the Constitution which enshrines the fundamental right to peaceful assembly the GO stated the right to conduct public meetings on public roads was a matter of regulation.

It further stated: “Holding of meetings on public roads or road margins is leading to deaths, creating traffic obstructions and takes a long time for the police to control the situation.” It went on to add that those who are sick, aged, pregnant or might have suffered an injury often suffer for want of immediate medical access.

The carefully-worded GO warned those who are authorised to grant permission for such meetings should take into account the issue of public safety. National and state highways were ruled out on the ground that these were designed for high speed connectivity and disruption of traffic leads to a ripple effect across the state and the country.

“It is, therefore, ideal that no license be granted for any application seeking permission to conduct a meeting on the state or national highways,” read the GO.

It was further pointed out that Panchayat and municipal roads on the other hand were narrower and any obstruction due to meetings on roads endanger lives, disrupt the civic life, emergency services causing inconvenience to the general public. On rare occasions while granting permission authorities should be guided by the width of the road, duration of the meeting, location of the venue, exit points and number of people expected for the meeting.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy once again slammed the TDP chief accusing him of being “publicity crazy” and drawing pleasure by conducting meetings and road shows in congested areas for photo shoots and drone footage and leading to stampedes allowing people to die.