The Bombay High Court has directed activist Manoj Jarange and his supporters to leave Azad Maidan by 3 pm, warning of contempt and strict action. The court said the protest is illegal and has paralysed Mumbai.
Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Tuesday ordered activist Manoj Jarange and his supporters, who are protesting to demand reservation for the Maratha community, to leave Azad Maidan in Mumbai by 3 pm. The court made it clear that if they failed to vacate, strict action would follow.
The bench of Acting Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Aarti Sathe Jarange warned that action could include heavy penalties and contempt proceedings.
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The judges said they wanted the situation in Mumbai to return to normal. They stated that if things were not settled by the afternoon, they would personally take steps to restore order.
The court firmly remarked that Jarange and his supporters were breaking the law. It stressed that they had no permission to occupy Azad Maidan and therefore no right to continue their protest there.
The bench observed,
“This is a very serious situation. We are not satisfied with the state government too. There seems to be some lapse on part of the government also.”
Senior advocate Satish Maneshinde, who appeared for Jarange, apologized for the misbehavior of some protesters on the city’s streets. He told the court that Jarange had always tried to make sure that ordinary citizens were not disturbed during the agitation.
The judges then directly asked whether Jarange and his team had already left Azad Maidan, where he has been on an indefinite hunger strike since August 29.
The court made its stand very clear, saying,
“They (Jarange and his supporters) are violators and hence they have no right at all. They must leave immediately or we will take action. This is completely illegal. After 3 pm, we will not allow anyone there at Azad Maidan.”
The bench also pointed out that on Monday, a large group of protesters had surrounded the High Court building, blocking the way for judges. The judges expressed displeasure and said,
“It cannot be that the high court was under siege and a judge had to walk to court.”
The matter has been kept open for further hearing at 3 pm on Tuesday.
Jarange had earlier announced that he would not leave Mumbai until the state government accepted his demands on Maratha reservation. However, the High Court has already noted that the protest was far from peaceful.
On Monday, the judges said that Jarange and his followers had ignored all conditions set by the authorities when permission was given for the protest.
The court also highlighted how the agitation had caused serious disruption in the city, remarking that it had paralysed Mumbai and brought the city to a standstill.
The High Court had given Jarange and his supporters a chance to correct their mistake by clearing the occupied streets and leaving Azad Maidan by Tuesday noon. It had also directed the state government and police to take proper legal action against Jarange and his team for not following the conditions.
Following the court’s order, Mumbai Police on Tuesday morning issued a notice to Jarange and his supporters, asking them to vacate Azad Maidan without any delay.
Background
In the previous hearing, a special bench of Justices Ravindra Ghuge and Gautam Ankhad had taken strong note of the disruption caused by the Maratha quota agitation in Mumbai. The court described the city’s condition as “grim,” pointing out that important locations like Marine Drive, CSMT, and even the High Court premises were blocked by protesters.
It observed that its earlier order dated August 26, 2025, had been ignored and that agitators had violated the terms of their initial permission to demonstrate. As a result, the bench held that the protesters no longer had any valid authorization to occupy public roads.
The judges had directed the state government to act under the Public Meeting and Agitation Rules, 2025, and restore normalcy in Mumbai, especially in view of the Ganpati festival.
At the same time, the bench gave protesters until Tuesday noon to clear the roads voluntarily, warning that failure to comply would empower the state to take strict measures.
The agitation, which had already entered its fourth day, saw an estimated 35,000 to 45,000 supporters gathered at Azad Maidan, causing massive traffic congestion and paralysing bus and train movement in South Mumbai.
Adding to the seriousness of the protest, activist Manoj Jarange Patil had also announced that he would stop drinking water, raising concern about both public inconvenience and his health condition.
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