The Bombay High Court directed immediate clearance of all street blockages in Mumbai by tomorrow forenoon during an urgent hearing on Maratha reservation protests that had been ongoing for the last four days. The Bench comprising Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad constituted a special vacation bench to hear the matter urgently.
The court observed that it was undisputed before them that the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus was completely flooded with protesters. The entire area outside the CST, the area around CST, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, the Flora Fountain area, the area around Mantralaya, Marine Drive had been blocked. The court noted evidence including photographs and video recordings showing that lakhs of protesters had been in Mumbai demanding Maratha reservation, with protesters cooking on streets, playing games like kabaddi, tug of war, and dancing.
The court found that its order dated August 26, 2025, prima facie appeared to have been disobeyed and that protesters had prima facie violated the conditions of permission granted to them and since they did not have any valid permission to continue the protest. The bench directed the state government to follow due procedure under the Public Meeting and Agitation Rules, 2025, and emphasized that it was of eminent necessity that the life of the common man in Mumbai needed to be restored to normalcy and the city should not be brought to a standstill, expressing particular concern since the Ganpati festival was ongoing.
The Court took on record the Times of India Mumbai edition dated September 1, 2025. The Court stated it hoped and trusted that good counsel would prevail upon respondent and they would obey the direction of this court dated 26.8.2025 and our above directions until forenoon tomorrow. The state government was directed to prevent entry of additional protesters into the city and ensure that further protesters did not enter until further directions of the court.