Guwahati, April 21 -- On April 9, 2025, the Office of the Commissioner of Police, Guwahati, issued an order under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, restricting all types of processions, rallies, marathons, walkathons, and similar events within Guwahati city limits. The reason cited was traffic congestion and potential delays to emergency services. An earlier notification released on February 10 had already banned all processions, under which cycle rallies and running events were also denied permission inside the city.

The notification states, "Processions/Rallies often lead to significant traffic congestion, affecting the free movement of vehicles and causing inconvenience to commuters and other citizens." Howe...