After the ban on the terrorist organization Popular Front of India (PFI), now the Kerala High Court has given a big blow to the PFI. The Kerala HC on Thursday ordered the PFI to compensate for the damage caused to public property during the protests and has ordered to pay Rs 5 crore 20 lakh as a fine within 2 weeks.

The Kerala High Court, according to the report, has ordered the PFI to deposit Rs. 5.20 crore to cover damages to both public and private property in the state as a result of the flash strike anticipated by both the state government and the KSRTC. Let us inform you that on September 23, 2022, the PFI called for a strike throughout Kerala following the central authorities’ raids on PFI bases on September 22, 2022. It saw widespread destruction of public property.

In its ruling, the Kerala High Court stated that while the Constitution permits rallies, sudden attacks are improper. The ruling also stated that the strike’s sabotage was unacceptable. A bench of Justices AK Jaishankaran Nambiar and Mohammad Nias CP conducted the hearing. The Bench ruled that those who endanger people’s lives must take the burden of the punishment. The court further instructed the district-level courts to require compensation for the loss as part of any bail conditions submitted by PFI activists who were involved in the sabotage. The court issued an order in this regard after Suo Motu took notice of the violence during the PFI demonstration. The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation, however, has also asked the High Court to ensure that the PFI be made whole for its loss.

When establishing the guidelines for the strike in 2019, the Kerala High Court mandated giving the government 7 days’ notice. The strike was then ruled to be unconstitutional by the court for breaking this law. The court questioned PFI about what was going on for the average person participating in the strike and how they were coping with the incident. The High Court questioned why such conduct should cause harm to the average person.

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