itanagar bandh
File photo of bandh in Itanagar. Photo: Northeast Now

The Capital Complex district administration has declared a 12-hour Capital bandh called by the All Nyishi Youth Association (ANYA) to be observed on Friday as ‘illegal’.

In this regard, a notification was issued on Wednesday under section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) read with Arunachal Pradesh Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (APUAPA), 2014.

In the notification, Capital Complex district magistrate Komkar Dulom said “such bandh calls cause untold misery and hardship, especially to common masses, daily wage earners, patients, students and business community and have also caused law and order problems.”

“The Supreme Court has already declared any bandh called by any political party, organization or association or group or individual as unconstitutional and illegal. Further, the APUAPA is in force in the state since January 26, 2015,” the notification read.

“In view of the reasons mentioned hereinabove, it is expedient and required to declare the proposed 12-hour bandh call of February 28 as illegal and an unlawful activity as prohibited under the law,” it added.

“It is also ordered that cost of any damage or destruction to public or private properties shall be recovered from the bandh callers, if proposed bandh call is enforced and any destruction occurs during the period,” the notice said.

The ANYA, on the other hand, has decided to go ahead with the bandh.

Citing apathy by the state government to its charter of demands, the union had on February 19, announced a 12-hour capital shutdown on February 28 next.

Among others, the demands of the ANYA include the scrapping of the Arunachal Pradesh Staff Selection Board (APSSB) and implementation of the district-wise quota in the board and scrapping of the GeM procurement system.

ANYA also seeks early resolution on the Assam-Arunachal border dispute at Dollungmukh under Kamle district, immediate construction of the Trans-Arunachal Highway between Potin-Bopi road and Joram to Koloriang road as per the detailed project report.

Damien Lepcha is Northeast Now Correspondent in Arunachal Pradesh. He can be reached at: [email protected]