Govt imposes Section 144 ahead of Goa assembly session

PANAJI: In view of the state legislative assembly’s four-day winter session beginning on Monday, the North Goa district magistrate Mamu Hage on Wednesday imposed Section 144 of the CrPC.
Following the order, gathering of five and more persons or organising a procession within a radius of 500m around the assembly complex at Porvorim and the area under the jurisdiction of Panaji police station has been prohibited.
This order will come into force at 10am on January 16 and remain in force till the end of the assembly session.
Whenever an assembly is in session, normally morchas or protests are organised by activists as well as political parties.
Carrying of weapons, use of loudspeakers, shouting of slogans, burning of fire in any public place, street, road, a square or in any open space have been prohibited within 500m of the assembly complex.
The order does not apply to public servants on duty.
Also, a marriage or a funeral procession or any special occasion or occasions which in the opinion of the district magistrate are genuine and for which a prior permission was obtained, are exempted.