Supreme Court Clarifies Section 163 BNSS Orders Near Court Premises Remain in Force

The Supreme Court clarified on November 3 that its October 11 direction to remove a notice board near court premises did not suspend the prohibitory orders under Section 163 BNSS. The authorities may display the notice again provided access for advocates, litigants and others having business is not obstructed. The validity of the prohibitory orders remains pending in writ petitions. The clarification arose in litigation concerning police handling of protests against the Chief Election Commissioner. The clarification distinguishes the display of a notice from the legal operation of the restriction. It does not decide the constitutional challenges to those orders.