Section 144, CrPC: A Relic of Colonial Era

As protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act are gaining ground, state governments are clamping down on the demonstrations by issuing prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), 1973.

Section 144 of CrPC, 1973

• Section 144 of CrPC, a colonial era legislation, empowers a district magistrate, a sub-divisional magistrate or any other executive magistrate specially empowered by the state government in this behalf to issue orders to prevent and address urgent cases of apprehended danger or nuisance.
• The magistrate has to pass a written order which may be directed against a particular individual, or to persons residing ....