The Bombay High Court (HC) on Tuesday ruled that Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange cannot stage a protest without prior permission from the authorities, stressing that public spaces cannot be occupied indefinitely, especially amid the Ganesh festival when law and order is a concern in Mumbai.

A bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Sandeep Marne observed that while democracy allows space for dissent, protests must be restricted to designated areas to ensure public order, reported news agency PTI. 

The bench said the government can take a call on whether to offer an alternative place at Kharghar in Navi Mumbai to the respondent (Jarange) to hold a peaceful protest so that the tempo of life in Mumbai is not disturbed.