Madurai: Observing that it is the fundamental right of the people to protest in a peaceful manner, the Madurai bench of the Madras high court has directed the sub-divisional magistrate/ sub-collector of Tuticorin not to pass any final orders in the proceedings initiated under Sections 107 and 111 CrPC against anti-Sterlite protesters. It further directed the police not to issue summons to the protesters.

The court said this while hearing a petition filed by S Mohan, a resident of Tuticorin who is the joint director of an NGO, People’s Watch. Mohan stated that recently the high court granted permission to 500 people to take part in the function organised to pay homage to the 13 people who were killed in a police firing on May 22, last year.