Demonstrators to be fined for property damage during strike

Bhubaneswar: A day after the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) announced taxes for demonstrators, the Commissionerate Police on Thursday said agitators would have to pay fine if any damage caused to government or private property during their strike with effective from January 1, 2018.

In a notification, the Twin City police said any organization or person seeking a licence for holding procession, rally, meeting or assembly will submit an indemnity bond in a stamp paper. Besides, the demonstrators will have to submit an undertaking saying that they would be liable for any damage to private or public property, said Police Commissioner YB Khurania.

The move will ensure smooth conduct of rally and protest meetings, he added.

On Wednesday, the BMC had announced that protestors sitting on dharna in the capital city will have to pay a minimum of Rs 500 per day.

As per a BMC notification, if the number of protestors is less than 500, tax of Rs 1,000 per day will be levied by the BMC wheras Rs 500 tax along with Rs 5 for every person will be collected if the number crosses 500.

The notification further stated that one has to pay Rs 5,000 to BMC as sanitation and administrative tax for holding marriages or any other kind of procession.

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