Bombay High Court quashes Mumbai Police externment order against SDPI members
The FIRs against two members of the Social Democratic Party of India pertain to just sloganeering, with no harm to the public or property, the court says
On July 29, 2026, the Bombay High Court invalidated the Mumbai Police's externment order against two Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) members. The court ruled that their statement "Babri Masjid mosque should not have been demolished" was not anti-national, and citizens have the right to hold such views. An externment order bans or expels an individual from a specific area.
The petitioners, Firoz Abdul Wahab Khan and Mohammad Rafiq Gulam Rasul Ansari, challenged the order banning them from Mumbai for a year starting December 3, 2025. The order stemmed from three FIRs registered in connection with protests against the Waqf Bill in 2024 and 2025, air pollution from a cement factory in Chembur-Govandi, and the demolition of Babri Masjid.
The court noted that the externment order only applies when there is evidence of the likelihood of offenses. The FIRs were filed over mere slogans with no harm to public or property, according to Justice Jamdar. The Chief Public Prosecutor highlighted alleged connections between the accused and the Popular Front of India (PFI), stating the petitioners were involved in social disharmony and breach of peace.
The High Court emphasized the externment order infringes on the fundamental right to free movement and expression, directing the State to file an affidavit.
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